King County selected to develop sustainability rating program
December 28, 2010
King County has been selected to develop a pioneering system to rate sustainability.
The county is part of a pilot program to analyze and map sustainability data. Organizers said the software program — the STAR Community Index — is designed to transform the way local governments set priorities and implement policies to improve sustainability performance. Read more
City recreation facilities, library close for holiday
December 28, 2010
Prepare for closures at the Issaquah Community Center and Julius Boehm Pool as the city prepares to ring in the New Year.
The community center closes at 3 p.m. Dec. 30. The center is also closed Jan. 1-2 for New Year’s Day.
The pool is closed Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1. Find a complete schedule for the pool at the city website, www.ci.issaquah.wa.us.
In addition, the Issaquah Library closes Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day.
Top library titles for 2010 reveal eclectic tastes
December 28, 2010
Eager readers gravitated to the fictional account of Jim Crow-era Mississippi. Listeners reached for the latest from glam pop queen Lady Gaga. The feel-good film “The Blind Side” continued to charm audiences.
The rundown of the top titles requested throughout the King County Library System in 2010 offers a glimpse at eclectic tastes.
Local readers sought out “The Help” — a novel about black maids in segregated Mississippi — and “The Fame Monster” — the sophomore album from Lady Gaga — in abundance.
System librarians tracked the most-requested titles of 2010 by determining the number of holds on a particular book, CD or DVD. The system does not release the information for individual libraries due to confidentiality policies.
Figures for the year indicate the Issaquah Library continues to be a popular destination. Patrons at the library checked out 715,406 items throughout the year.
The downtown Issaquah Library ranked as the sixth-busiest in the 46-branch system for 2010, though the ranking could be inflated because the Federal Way Library was closed from 2009 until May 2010 for remodeling. The bustling Federal Way branch usually has a higher volume than Issaquah. The main Bellevue branch remains the busiest library in the system.
In Issaquah and elsewhere in the library system, usage boomed in 2009 as a result of the economic downturn. The library continued to record robust usage throughout 2010.
Throughout the year, about 28,000 people stopped by the library each month. The busiest month at the Issaquah Library in 2010 came in March, as 32,549 people headed through the glass doors. The least-busiest month: In August, the library had only 24,375 customers.
The numbers indicate readers “probably got it and read it — or at least got it,” library system spokeswoman Marsha Iverson said. “Whether they read it or not, we don’t really know.”
Donated gifts saved Christmas for Issaquah families
December 28, 2010
Debra Rowley-Petruccelli did not want to fill out a wish list for the holidays, but her friends at the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank insisted.
Rowley-Petruccelli began frequenting the bank soon after a divorce tore apart her world five years ago. Between surgeries for intestinal problems and going back to school to get a degree, she has relied on the food bank.
“It’s the heartbeat of the city for those who don’t have anything,” she said. “You got to have that heartbeat and then everything else works. It prevents people from being lost. It provides them services.” Read more
Joker offers satisfying sports bar fare — no fooling
December 28, 2010
The Joker Pub & Grill has a laid-back atmosphere, with plenty of flat-screen TVs to watch the game. In the early evening hours, it’s filled with people grabbing a beer with friends or co-workers before they head home for the night.
The menu consists of your regular bar food, along with some interesting items. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, try french fries or tater tots smothered in sausage gravy.
Maybe you want to go out of your comfort zone and order the peanut butter bacon burger. The name pretty much says it all — yes, the burger really does have melted peanut butter on it, along with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, the patty, mayonnaise and bacon.
When you first bite into the burger, your mouth is bombarded with the flavor of the homemade (daily) beef patty and the flavor of peanut butter. It almost tastes like something you would eat for breakfast, but is served with your choice of french fries, tater tots, onion rings, salad or the soup of the day.
Press Editorial
December 28, 2010
Special thanks to our many letter writers
We’d like to take a moment to salute those people who took the time to write a letter to the editor in 2010. Their written voice provokes, challenges, encourages and thereby builds a stronger community for us all. We aren’t able to publish every letter we receive, but here’s a list of the 124 authors, in alphabetical order, who did get ink this year. Read more
Local women share business tips at Sip
December 28, 2010
Every month, women from Issaquah and the Eastside come together for appetizers and wine while they socialize and network for an hour out of their busy week.
The group, Sips and Tips, started in August, and continues to grow in numbers at Sip Wine Bar and Restaurant in the Issaquah Highlands.
The brainchildren of the group, Sip co-owner Jamie Scelzi and Seattle Restaurants Unlimited Marketing Director Karen Lawler, initially started it in Gig Harbor, where the Scelzis owned another Sip restaurant. When that restaurant closed in May, the duo moved Sips and Tips to Issaquah. Read more
Habitat for Humanity plans hearty treat for volunteers
December 28, 2010
Habitat for Humanity of East King County has planned a Chilly Chili Challenge volunteer event at the Habitat construction site in the Issaquah Highlands. Volunteers chow down on a hot lunch of chili, soup and other goodies donated by local businesses and churches. There’s also a raffle for prizes from local spas, bookstores, restaurants and the local Target.
The challenge is scheduled for every working Thursday in January and February. Read more
College News
December 28, 2010
Student makes OSU honor roll
Kristin N. Nikaitani, a freshman student from Sammamish studying merchandising management, was recently named to the Scholastic Honor Roll with a straight-A average for the fall term at Oregon State University.
To be on the honor roll, students must carry at least 12 graded hours of course work.
To the Editor
December 28, 2010
Issaquah Salmon Hatchery
Thank you to everyone who helped FISH through a successful year
As 2010 draws to a close, I would like to take a moment to shine a light on the goodwill that was bestowed upon our community this past year.
This year, as in many years past, a dedicated team of volunteers contributed more than 2,000 hours to the community, teaching visitors about Pacific salmon and watershed stewardship.
