College News
May 25, 2010
Local students graduate from college
-Rachel Policar, a 2006 graduate of Skyline High School, graduated from Arizona State University on May 13, 2010. Policar graduated summa cum laude, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in music with a double major of vocal performance and musical theater. She will be attending the Manhattan School of Music in New York City to pursue a master’s degree in classical voice this fall.
- Katlin L. Veyette, of Issaquah, was among about 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students who received degrees from the University of Northern Colorado during spring 2010 graduation ceremonies May 7-8. Veyette earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in special education, graduating cum laude.
-Andrew Hunt, of Issaquah, graduated May 2, 2010, from the University of Portland with a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication.
Local student honored at IUB
Mayah Shlomit, of Issaquah, was recently recognized for sustained academic excellence with the designation of Founders Scholar at Indiana University Bloomington. To qualify, an undergraduate student must have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 or above by the end of the fall term immediately preceding the honors convocation.
Student makes UW dean’s list
Brittney Blustein, a 2006 graduate of Skyline High School, was named to the dean’s list for the University of Washington’s winter quarter. To qualify, students must have completed at least 12 graded credits and have a grade point average of at least 3.5 (out of 4).
Liberty grad receives scholarship to EWU
Emily Hustad, a 2004 graduate of Liberty High School, has been awarded the J. Eugene and Vee Fletcher Scholarship for $1,075 for the 2010-11 academic year at Eastern Washington University.
The award is given to a graduate student with a major in reading and a 3.5 or better grade point average.
Hustad, the daughter of Ken and Judi Hustad, of Bend, Ore., is studying to earn her masters degree in education in literature.
To The Editor
May 25, 2010
Schools
District officials need to educate parents more about realities of budgetary limits
The Issaquah School District has done an amazing job of being fiscally responsible and conservative during a time of shrinking state funding toward education and an increasing burden on local dollars to provide a quality education.
Unfortunately, I don’t see things getting better anytime soon and I believe that cuts will continue to be made to the district’s education budget.
My suggestion would be to create more opportunities for parent discussion, through roundtables or forums, where district officials can educate everyone a bit about the realities of what can and can’t be changed. Parents can have a chance to talk about what they value the most for their kids and can help brainstorm solutions that will be in the best interest for everyone. We’re all going to need to work together.
I think the district has done a great job trying to become greener, but I think there is a lot more they can do to move in that direction. I think more teachers can post handouts on a webpage or send to students in an e-mail instead of printing off so many copies. Read more
Sasquatch! — Bringing the sounds of summer to the Seattle music scene
May 25, 2010
Wait, was that…sun? Are those…shorts? Sandals without socks?
By Ehrik Aldana
Summer is most certainly on its way, and this Memorial Day weekend, the sounds of the summer music festival scene will be a mere 150 miles away from Seattle at The Gorge Amphitheatre. That’s right. Sasquatch! is here.
Seated on the majestic Columbia River Gorge, The Gorge Amphitheatre is hailed as one of the most scenic venues in the world. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has even regarded it as “the most amazing place we’ve ever seen” after performing at Sasquatch! in 2003.
Sasquatch! was founded by Pacific Northwest-based concert promoter Adam Zacks in 2002. The festival was conceived to provide an eclectic collection of musical talent to fulfill the needs of the independent Pacific Northwest. Since its inception, Sasquatch! has expanded to a three-day event, sporting headliners such as Beck, R.E.M., Modest Mouse, Coldplay and the Beastie Boys. Read more
Police & Fire
May 25, 2010
O’Neil, Fletcher
May 25, 2010
Ashley O’Neil and George Fletcher announce their engagement to be married June 5, 2010, at St. Joseph’s Church in Chehalis.
George Fletcher and Ashley O’Neil
Ashley, the daughter of Michael and Tryna O’Neil, of Issaquah, is a 2007 graduate of Gonzaga University. She received her Master of Science degree in occupational therapy from the University of Puget Sound in May.
Ashley is also the granddaughter of Terry and Kathryn Smith and Donald and the late Judith O’Neil, and the great-granddaughter of Becky Blaser and Pauline Smith, all of Chehalis.
George, the son of George and Wendy Fletcher, of Issaquah, is a 2005 graduate of Armstrong Atlantic University in Savannah, Ga., where he played baseball.
He works for the city of Bellevue in the Urban Forestry Division, is a baseball coach in Issaquah, is a snowboard trainer at the Summit at Snoqualmie and is pursuing his teaching degree.
Aletha D. Hartleroad
May 25, 2010
Aletha D. Hartleroad, a resident of Aegis of Issaquah for two and a half years, died May 2, 2010. She was 88. Read more
Sports Calendar
May 25, 2010
Adult Sports
Issaquah Alps Trail Club
May 29, 9:30 a.m., Middle Tiger, 8 miles, 1,300 gain. Call 427-8449 … May 30, 9 a.m., Poo Poo Point, 4 miles, 1,600 gain. Call 281-8465 … May 31, 9:30 a.m., Cougar Mountain loop hike, 5 miles, 650 gain. Call 882-3435 … June 5, 10 a.m., Dogs Welcome Hike, 3-5 mile, 600-1,000 gain. Call 481-2341 … June 6, 1 p.m., Return To Newcastle history hike, 2 miles, 150 gain. Call 453-8997.
Cascade Bicycle Club
4May 27, 6:30 p.m., Eastside Tours, 20-30 miles from Marymoor Park east parking lot. Call 392-1347 … May 29, South Bellevue to Cumberland loop, 77 miles from South Bellevue Park & Ride. Call 399-3221 … May 30, 10 a.m., Renton Cruise, 25 miles from Ron Regis Park. Call 226-6923 … June 2, Redmond Ramble, 11:30 a.m., 12-15 miles from Overlake Transit Center. Call 253-797-4647.
Volleyball
Issaquah Parks has open gym for volleyball on Mondays from 6-9 p.m. at the community center.
Tennis
Tennis and friends – Issaquah Parks program for people 50 years and up at Tibbetts Valley Tennis Courts. Daily sessions from 9 a.m.-noon. Call 369-8332.
Slowpitch softball
Issaquah Parks has a variety of programs, starting this month. Call 837-3308 … Senior slowpitch, for players 50 and over, is looking for players Call 392-5682.
Triathlon
June 5, Issaquah Triathlon, duathlon, 10K and 5K runs, and Kid’s Triathlon at Lake Sammamish State Park., Skyline at 4A state regional in Everett. The event benefits the Eastside Montessori Education Foundation. Go to www.issaquahtri.com or call 392-3866.
Running
Cougar Mountain Trails Running Series holds second race of the season June 12 at 9 a.m. at Sky Country Trailhead. The race is 7 miles. For further information and to pre-register for the race, go to www.Seattlerunningclub.org.
Youth sports/activities
Equestrian
Riding lessons – The Red Gate Farm in Sammamish offers year-round riding lessons for ages 6-18. Call 392-0111.
Track & field
Issaquah Parks Gliders hold an all-comers elementary school meet at 6 p.m. May 27 at Issaquah High School. Call 392-8230 ,,, The Gliders summer track and field session starts June 7. There are practice sessions for grades K-5 and 6-12, Go to www.issaquahparks.net to register … Middle and high school athletes interested in competing in the Junior Olympics Summer Series should call 382-8230, Read more
Urban freshwater fishing
May 25, 2010
Fish Journal
Having lived in several cities during my working career, I’ve been able to take advantage of fishing opportunities that abound near urban areas. I believe that we in the Puget Sound metropolitan area are privy to one of the best settings for urban fishing in the country.
Dallas Cross
Lake Washington has the biggest fishing menu for urban fishers. The docks are prowled by large- and smallmouth bass; the shadows of the bridges are cruised by rainbow and cutthroat trout; and the piers and logs hide perch and panfish. The bottom of the lake is swept by carp, catfish and an occasional sturgeon seeking the signal crayfish, a palatable crustacean in its own right.
You can also fish for at least three species of salmon in Lake Washington. Most notable of these is the sockeye salmon when the lake acquires a fiberglass frosting of fishing boats in July. Visitors are uniformly incredulous when informed that fishermen drinking Starbucks while watching Seattle’s rush-hour traffic whiz by on the lake bridges catch these salmon on bare hooks.
Adjoining Lake Washington is Lake Sammamish, surrounded by suburban cities. It echoes most of the fishing opportunities in Lake Washington but adds a promise of hope with a remnant colony of native kokanee salmon, now absent in the bigger lake.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife dramatically enhances fishing success with their plants of hatchery-raised trout in local lakes. This is attested by throngs of fisher persons at the opening of the lowland lakes fishing season in April.
In King County, freshly trout-stocked lakes are Angle Lake just South of Sea-Tac, Beaver Lake in Sammamish, Green Lake in Seattle, Lake Sawyer in Black Diamond, and Meridian Lake southeast of Renton. The department continues trout stocking in all of these lakes throughout the year and occasionally puts in some lunker trout from their breeding or hybrid stock.
I once lived and worked in urban Detroit and after purchasing a small sail boat with oars, I started to fish in the hundreds of nearby small lakes. I discovered new fish to seek and catch, most quite different from our western fresh-water fish. There were bass and bluegill, of course, but when I brought in a northern pike, and especially a needle-nosed gar, it was a unique fishing experience. I also first caught walleye within the reflections of the buildings of Detroit in Lake Saint Clair, the smallest of the Great Lakes.
The trophy fish in Lake St. Clair is the muskellunge, one-third mouth and two-thirds torpedo. Occasionally, I would see them sunning on the lake surface, but never got them sufficiently agitated to attack one of my ugly lures manipulated by troll or cast past their toothy mouths. The Detroit musky of urban legend was named Jingles. He was purported to be six feet long with so many broken off lures hanging from his mouth that they jingled when he broke the surface of the water. Read more
Press Editorial
May 25, 2010
‘Lest we forget’ section honors our veterans
Veterans, we salute you! This issue of The Issaquah Press is the first Memorial Day remembrance of Issaquah men and women veterans “lest we forget.” Please know that your service to our country is appreciated, no matter whether you are currently serving in the armed forces or did your duty decades ago.
We hope this impressive collection of photos remembering our local soldiers will grow and become an annual tradition.
The idea began with two local veterans — Press Editor Kathleen Merrill and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3436 Assistant Quartermaster Dave Waggoner. Together, they approached a few local businesses who willingly agreed to help cover printing costs. The Press publicized the search for local veterans, while Waggoner handed out flyers to his fellow VFW friends and at other locations, including the Issaquah Farmers Market. Read more
Liberty drama rakes in award nominations
May 25, 2010
Liberty High School’s Patriot Players are dancing in the streets — well maybe the aisles.
by Jane Estes Liberty High School’s spring musical ‘Into the Woods’ received 10 nominations for the 5th Avenue High School Musical Awards, to be held June 7.
The school’s drama department was nominated for 10 5th Avenue High School Musical Awards May 19 for their musical production of “Into the Woods.” They were also given two honorable mentions for the production.
“It’s a very gratifying recognition of our hard work and a confirmation of our belief that we had a particularly strong production this year,” Director Katherine Klekas wrote in an e-mail. “The music director, choreographer and I all love the show, but it is very challenging and demanding. This year, we recognized that we had the students and the creative team to do it justice.”
The Tony Awards-style ceremony is sponsored by Wells Fargo and helps provide the same recognition given to high school athletes to student actors, according to the 5th Avenue Theatre’s website. The award ceremony honors the talent and dedication students, parents and faculty devote to their school’s yearly musical productions.
Students and the school’s directing faculty will attend the awards and compete for awards in the categories of best overall production, stage crew and ensemble and outstanding direction, choreography, set design, lighting and costumes. Read more
