Gordo, canine mascot, fetches curious customers for shoe store
August 23, 2011
FootZone’s top sales associate is a 60-pound, 11-inch-tall and 11-inch-wide bulldog named Gordo.
Though he can’t find the perfect pair of running shoes or select the right Issaquah or Skyline high school threads like his fellow associates, he can (and does) bait customers into the store and charm them all the way to the cash register.
Kyle Cross, owner of the Issaquah FootZone, holds the store’s mascot, Gordo, an English bulldog. By Emily Baer
Kyle Cross, owner of FootZone since 1999 — and of 4-year-old Gordo — bought a bulldog puppy simply because he always wanted one. Little did he know that so does half of Issaquah.
“The breed is known for being incredibly friendly,” he said. “He’s got a lot of personality — people call all the time asking if he’s here.”
Cross, who is now known in his store as “Gordo’s dad,” said his pup is an excellent conversation piece. FootZone customers can’t help but give the sturdy bulldog a pat on the head and say something like, “Oh, he’s so cute. You have a nice underbite, don’t you?” as a woman in the store did a few weeks ago. By 3 p.m. on a recent Tuesday, he had already been the subject of three photos that day. And that’s typical, Cross said.
How does Gordo work his charisma, you ask? For starters, he’s naturally very social. As soon as he hears the door beep, he lumbers up to the entering customer for a good pat on the back. He may watch as the customer then gets fitted with shoes, or he may go lie down, albeit with one eye open to make sure he does not miss another incoming customer.
As the shopper makes his or her way over to the cash register, Gordo slowly trots to the blue mat in front of the counter and nuzzles up to the customer’s leg. His purpose is not to help seal a sale though. It is far more critical. His highly important intention is to receive an affectionate scratch behind the ear.
Hearing the command “Stick ‘em up” (if you’re armed with a treat) he sits up on his hind legs and holds his paws out in front of him.
Boehm’s chapel captures the essence of the Alps
August 23, 2011
Correction: The chapel is a replica of one in Ilse Maria, not St. Moritz. Julius Boehm could not have seen the Swiss village chapel from Vienna, so he built a replica of the small church that he could see from his Issaquah chalet. The Moroder Studios’ “Christ Washing the Feet of the Disciples” artwork inside the chapel was carved in Italy, unlike the chapel doors. Kirch’l is German for “little church” or “chapel.” The High Alpine Chapel is also known as the Luis Trenker Kirch’l or Luis Trenker Chapel. In addition, the only chocolates that are “discounted” are pieces considered to be “brokens” or “seconds.”
For their wedding last July, Sara and John Henry Bruner were looking for a small, intimate venue that was in their budget and fit their personalities. He happened upon the High Alpine Chapel online.
Rev. Jeanne Dembeck stands at the top of a stair in the chapel, where newlywed couples may pull a rope to ring the brass bell in the steeple. By Greg Farrar
The unassuming website showed only one photo of the 48-person chapel in Issaquah, so the couple made an appointment to check it out. Sara recalled that her Sammamish-based mother wasn’t convinced a chapel on the grounds of Boehm’s Candies existed.
“So many people don’t know about our chapel,” said the Rev. Jeanne Dembeck as she jiggled open the chapel’s double doors, which were imported from Italy.
The unique European key design is one of Dembeck’s favorite parts of the building. The key itself doesn’t have teeth. It has little hole/nub things randomly placed on the flat part.
Dembeck relies mostly on word of mouth advertising to promote the High Alpine Chapel, although a Seattle-based travel agency does connect it with Japanese couples looking for a unique destination wedding.
“It isn’t really ritzy, but to me it is nice and casual,” Dembeck said.
And though it is just 20 minutes east of Seattle and right off Interstate 90, stepping onto the grounds of Boehm’s feels like entering another world.
On the outside, the nondenominational building is a replica of a 12th century chapel in St. Moritz, Switzerland, which still stands today. But on the inside, “It’s all Julius,” said Mindi Reid, a chief tour guide.
Julius Boehm, the founder of Boehm’s Candies, was born in Vienna and grew up with a view of the St. Moritz chapel from his bedroom window. He added the chapel replica to the grounds of his successful Issaquah candy shop in 1981 to memorialize fallen mountain climbers and to honor his mother.
Sammamish man overcomes aquaphobia to log fastest local time in triathlon
August 23, 2011
A triathlete removes his cap while sprinting out of the water to start the cycling leg of the 18th annual Beaver Lake Triathlon on Aug. 20. By Christopher Huber
A year ago, Ryan Mongan, 45, of Sammamish, would not have considered competing in the Beaver Lake Triathlon.
He was nowhere close to ready for the quarter-mile swim, he said. Swimming in open water freaked him out. He would panic and start swallowing water.
“Swimming’s my weak spot,” he said. “A year ago, I couldn’t swim.”
Officers target speeders during recent crackdown
August 23, 2011
Issaquah police officers and law enforcement agencies countywide doled out more than 1,200 speeding tickets during a recent crackdown on lead-footed motorists.
From July 15 to Aug. 7, the Issaquah Police Department and other agencies sent out extra law enforcement patrols to search for speeding drivers.
During the patrols in King County, officers wrote 1,245 speeding tickets. Police also arrested three motorists for driving under the influence, three motorists for felonies and four for aggressive driving violations.
Officers issued 15 cellphone citations, six seatbelt tickets, 15 suspended or revoked license violations, and 50 uninsured motorist violations.
The speeding crackdown included the nearby Bellevue, Newcastle, North Bend, Sammamish, Snoqualmie and Renton police departments.
In addition to the local police agencies, the King County Target Zero Task Force supported the extra patrols, funded by a grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
Pickering Barn volunteer garden showcases drip watering system
August 23, 2011
“We’re not just growing food, we’re trying to educate,” said Faalah Jones, of Seattle Tilth.
Water resources manager for the Cascade Water Alliance, Michael Brent, agreed.
“We’re just trying to show the potential of a few things,” he said.
Manager of the Issaquah Resource Conservation Office, David Fujimoto said much the same.
“It’s kind of a learning garden,” he said.
All three were referring to a large public garden alongside Pickering Barn on 10th Avenue Northwest in Issaquah.
While it is maintained almost exclusively by volunteers, the nonprofit organization Seattle Tilth oversees the garden. The latest project in the garden is a new drip irrigation system being installed by the city and the water alliance, Brent said.
Issaquah School District may not wait for state to hike science requirements
August 23, 2011
State education officials have backed away from a requirement that all Washington high school students pass a biology proficiency exam in order to graduate.
But just because the state isn’t ready to move forward doesn’t mean the Issaquah School District can’t strengthen its science requirements, including possibly implementing a biology or general science proficiency test of its own.
At least that was the argument from a few Issaquah School Board members during their regular meeting Aug. 9. Board member Brian Deagle in particular said he was not willing to just drop, due to state inaction, the requirement that Issaquah school students prove some baseline scientific knowledge prior to graduation.
“This is an opportunity for our district to lead,” board member Chad Magendanz added.
Habitat for Humanity to dedicate Issaquah homes
August 23, 2011
Join Habitat for Humanity of East King County — plus the Cornejo, Larson, Mateas and Riziki families — to dedicate the Magnolia Village community in the Issaquah Highlands.
Habitat leaders planned a ceremony and a community potluck meal for 3 p.m. Aug. 27 at the home sites, 2516 N.E. Magnolia St. Participants can bring a dish to share.
In order to receive the keys to the homes, the families completed 500 hours of sweat equity — some completed almost 700 hours — and completed homebuyer education. The training includes lessons in budgeting, credit repair, disaster preparedness, community governance and homeowner association, intercultural communications and diversity training, “green” living, and home repair and maintenance.
Contact Emily Fortman, Habitat director of family services, at efortman@habitatekc.org or 869-6007, ext. 237, for more information.
Construction on Magnolia Village started in June 2009.
Eastside Fire & Rescue hosts Issaquah blood drive
August 23, 2011
Eastside Fire & Rescue hosts a blood drive from 10 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Aug. 29 at its headquarters station, 175 Newport Way N.W.
Donors must be in good health, at least 18 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Anyone ages 16-17 can donate with written consent from their parent or guardian.
Sign up by emailing JOltmann@esf-r.org or calling 206-949-8414.
Wanted: Locals born on Sept. 11, 2001
August 23, 2011
On Sept. 11, 2001, as many people watched the news as the catastrophe unfolded, others welcomed babies into the world — small miracles amid the horror.
As the attacks’ 10th anniversary approaches, The Issaquah Press is seeking children born the day of the terrorist attacks — as well as their parents — for a distinctive perspective on the history-defining day.
The Press is also seeking 9/11 memories from local residents about how the events impacted them for upcoming coverage of the attacks’ anniversary.
Email your contact information to editor@isspress.com by Aug. 26, or contact the newspaper on Twitter @issaquahpress and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/issaquahpress.
Off the Press
August 23, 2011
My summer of pugs, neighbors and history
David Hayes Press reporter
As the summer has finally heated up to seasonal norms, my thoughts are a little more scrambled this month. So, here’s a look at what’s been percolating in my brain lately.
Neighborliness can be harmful to your health
Having spent the better part of a decade living in the Issaquah/Sammamish area, I’ve grown to appreciate the neighborliness that permeates the communities. So when my wife and I bought our first house in Kirkland, we packed up and brought along our good will with us.
After this weekend, I wish I had left it behind.
A neighbor rang Saturday, needing help moving an item inside his house.
“Sure,” I said, thinking, “What could it hurt?”
Turns out, just about every muscle group in my body.
