King County Council endorses ‘green’ energy plan
October 26, 2010
NEW — 10 a.m. Oct. 26, 2010
King County leaders adopted a plan Monday to cut the use of fossil fuels, and make county buildings and vehicles more energy efficient.
County Council members adopted a large-scale energy plan proposed by County Executive Dow Constantine.
The plan emphasizes the benefits of producing renewable energy, plus using the byproducts of wastewater treatment and waste disposal to produce renewable energy.
The measure also sets benchmarks for county operations and facilities to reduce energy use.
State lifts studded-tire restriction, urges drivers to prepare for winter
October 26, 2010
NEW — 9:45 a.m. Oct. 26, 2010
Due to snowfall at Snoqualmie Pass and other mountain passes, the state Department of Transportation has decided drivers can start using studded tires a week early.
Snoqualmie Pass — at 3,022 feet — could face snowy and slushy conditions through Tuesday. Forecasts call for warmer and dry conditions by Wednesday.
“Check the weather reports, check the WSDOT Web page, prepare for winter conditions, carry chains and slow down,” Chris Christopher, Department of Transportation maintenance operations director, said in a statement. “Our crews are ready, but we need drivers’ help. Know the conditions of where you are going, and drive for those conditions.”
New Jersey tech company announces Issaquah expansion
October 26, 2010
NEW — 8:15 a.m. Oct. 26, 2010
Dataram Corp., a leading manufacturer of computer memory, storage products and software, announced plans Tuesday to open a development and testing facility in Issaquah.
The company — based in Princeton, N.J. — chose the Seattle area due to “the rich technology talent pool and the welcoming business climate.” Dataram cited Seattle’s ranking as No. 5 in a Forbes ranking of the most innovative cities in technology.
The expansion is related to the company’s development of the XcelaSAN is a storage-optimization appliance.
Construction closes Issaquah Highlands lanes Wednesday
October 26, 2010
NEW — 8 a.m. Oct. 26, 2010
Prepare for lane closures Wednesday as crews continue construction on a planned Issaquah Highlands self-storage facility.
Expect two of the three lanes on Northeast High Street between Ninth Avenue Northeast and Highlands Drive Northeast near the Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride to be closed from 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. both days, weather permitting.
The remaining lane will stay open to help west Highlands Park drivers avoid a long detour, but officials encourage drivers to avoid the area and use Northeast Park Drive for westbound access and Northeast Federal Drive for eastbound access.
City kicks off effort to make Issaquah a mountain biking destination
October 25, 2010
NEW — 4:30 p.m. Oct. 25, 2010
Earlier in the year, the City Council set a goal to transform Issaquah into a destination for mountain biking.
In order to reach the goal, the city has created the Issaquah Mountain Biking Task Force to study opportunities for mountain bikers inside the city and elsewhere, determine mountain biking needs in the community and track mountain biking projects in other communities.
The group launches a yearlong planning session at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Issaquah Trails House, 110 Bush St., and then meets on the last Monday of every month.
City targets grease buildup — a hazard to sewer system
October 25, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Oct. 25, 2010
The city is preparing to crack down on the amount of food grease running down the drain and into the municipal sewer system.
The byproduct of home and restaurant kitchens, fats, oil and grease enter the sewer system, and then the substances build up along the pipes. The fatty buildup can cause sewer backups and overflows, plus building and property damage.
The city has proposed a measure to reduce the amount of fats, oils and grease in the sewer system. Most nearby cities use similar requirements to comply with King County Wastewater Treatment Division rules.
County Council cancels planned Metro fee hike for seniors
October 24, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Oct. 11, 2010
The planned 25-cent transit fare increase for senior King County Metro Transit riders has been cancelled.
King County Council members adopted legislation Oct. 11 to scuttle the hike. The measure also started the transition from the Metro senior pass to the regional ORCA card.
The decision held the cost of a bus ride for seniors and disabled passengers at 75 cents. The legislation increased the cost of a monthly pass from $18 to $27, but monthly pass can now be used on any transit system in the region.
Mayor highlights latest crop of Heritage Trees
October 23, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Oct. 23, 2010
Mayor Ava Frisinger has designated a trio of landmark trees as Heritage Trees — a distinction meant to reflect the age, size, historic significance and ecological value of the plants.
The trees include the giant sequoia at Tibbetts Valley Park, the Empress Tree at Cornick Park and the Oregon white oak at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery.
City Park Board members developed the Heritage Tree Program to promote identification and recognition of trees that reflect the character of Issaquah. Every Heritage Tree is identified and recorded in a register maintained by the city Parks & Recreation Department.
Liberty High School captures girls soccer title
October 22, 2010
NEW — 1:15 p.m. Oct. 22, 2010
Kiana Hafferty scored seven minutes in the second overtime Thursday to give the Liberty High School girls soccer team a 3-2 triumph against Juanita in a 3A/2A KingCo Conference battle. With the victory, Liberty, 10-0-2, clinched the league championship.
Whitney Cain, assisted by Hafferty, scored Liberty’s first goal at the fifth minute. Kimi Fry scored the Patriots’ second goal at the 10th minute. Liberty held a 2-1 lead at halftime.
The Patriots’ next game is Oct. 26 at home against Mercer Island.
Sunny Hills Elementary locked down briefly
October 22, 2010
NEW — 12:40 p.m. Oct. 22, 2010
School administrators put Sunny Hills Elementary School under lockdown for about 25 minutes Friday after students saw a suspicious person on school grounds.
At about 11:30 a.m., the students reported the person — with what they believed to be a weapon — in a school parking lot, according to an e-mail to the community from Principal Sarah White.
The school was placed into lockdown, and the afternoon kindergarten class was re-routed to Pine Lake Middle School as Sammamish police came to investigate.
