Dump unused medication at Issaquah Police Department
October 25, 2011
Saving unused or expired medication can lead to improper and illegal use.
Issaquah-area residents can prevent abuse, and drop off unused medication at the Issaquah Police Department inside Issaquah City Hall, 130 E. Sunset Way, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29.
People can return unused or expired medications anonymously for disposal — no questions asked.
Prescription painkillers — often stolen and abused — help fuel a statewide overdose epidemic. Drug overdoses kill more Washington residents than car accidents.
In addition, Issaquah-area residents can drop off unused or expired medications anytime from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, at the police department.
Salmon Days Festival reels in international honors
October 25, 2011
The day after the Salmon Days Festival concluded for a 42nd year, the iconic Issaquah event received 11 international honors.
The awards from the International Festivals & Events Association honored the 2010 festival and the theme “Something Up Our Leaves.” Salmon Days received honors for advertising, print, promotional and retail merchandise, including a prestigious Bronze Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Award — a top honor for festivals.
The festival competes against other events in the $250,000 to $749,999 budget category.
King County Districting Committee reschedules public hearing
October 25, 2011
The panel responsible for redrawing King County Council districts rescheduled a public hearing regarding a proposed map to next month.
King County Districting Committee members planned to meet Oct. 3, but rescheduled the meeting to Nov. 1 to allow residents and city councils more time to review the plan and offer comments.
Citizens can attend the rescheduled hearing at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 1 in the Council Chambers at the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave., Seattle.
Residents can also submit comments to the committee at www.kingcounty.gov/operations/districting/testimony until Nov. 1.
In a unanimous decision late last month, committee members agreed to release a final proposal for public comment and review. The plan must be approved by Jan. 15 for the 2012 elections.
The committee’s proposed map keeps Issaquah proper inside Councilwoman Kathy Lambert’s District 3 and rural areas outside city limits in Councilman Reagan Dunn’s District 9.
State is tracking prescription pain medication purchases
October 25, 2011
State health officials have started collecting information regarding purchases of prescription pain medication to crack down on a statewide overdose problem.
Officials rolled out the Washington State Prescription Monitoring Program in October to reduce abuse and promote safe prescription drug use. The program collects information on commonly abused medications.
Information from pharmacies and health care providers is collected and stored in a central database. Starting in January, health care providers can view their patients’ prescription history dating back to the start of data collection.
The program also allows patients and law enforcement officials to view the prescription records.
Officials said physicians and pharmacists could use the data to intervene earlier to identify dangerous drug interactions, address misuse, recognize undermanaged pain or see the need for substance-abuse treatment.
The number of people dying from prescription pain medication overdoses is growing in Washington. The rate of overdose deaths involving prescription pain medications doubled from 2000 to 2010. Since 2006, deaths from unintentional drug overdoses have surpassed the number of deaths from automobile crashes.
Eastside transportation leaders oppose tolling initiative
October 25, 2011
Local elected officials on the Eastside Transportation Partnership agreed to oppose Initiative 1125, Tim Eyman’s tolling initiative, days before ballots started to reach voters.
I-1125 calls for the Legislature to approve tolls rather than the appointed state Transportation Commission. The initiative also aims to prohibit different toll rates for peak commute times and to require toll revenues to be put toward projects on the road being tolled.
On Oct. 14, less than a month before Election Day, Eastside Transportation Partnership members heard from Bellevue developer and I-1125 supporter Kemper Freeman and I-1125 opponents, former state Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald and Deputy King County Executive Fred Jarrett.
Then, members discussed the presentations and voted to oppose the initiative.
The partnership includes elected city and King County officials representing communities east of Lake Washington. The organization is focused on advocacy for regional transportation issues.
Issaquah Mayor Ava Frisinger and Councilman Joshua Schaer serve on the partnership. Issaquah Councilman Fred Butler, a Sound Transit board member, is the partnership’s Sound Transit representative.
Issaquah’s representative on the King County Council, Kathy Lambert, is another member. So, too, is King County Executive Dow Constantine.
Troopers cite 370 motorists for cellphone infractions
October 25, 2011
Washington State Patrol troopers stopped almost 400 motorists for cellphone infractions last month.
Troopers continue to monitor local roads for cellphone violators.
State law changed in 2009 to make cellphone use and texting primary offenses for motorists. Before the change, law enforcement officers could only cite drivers for phone use if the driver violated the speed limit or broke another law.
In September, King County troopers stopped 370 drivers for talking on cellphones and 43 people for texting behind the wheel. The state patrol said more than half of the violators received a $124 ticket for illegal cellphone use.
The state patrol encouraged motorists not to use a cell phone behind the wheel, but if necessary, to use a hands-free device to help keep the focus on the roadway.
Local high schools’ club activities get into full swing
October 25, 2011
Jacob Brunette Issaquah High School
Pingpong brings out competitive side of members
“Ping. Pong.”
The sound echoes around the commons as pairs of people play in heated matches of table tennis, or as it’s more commonly known, ping-pong. Next week, Issaquah High School’s Ping-Pong Club will compete against each other for the titles of Master Ping and Disciple Pong.
• The club was founded last year by a group of pingpong fanatics, led by Pranav Mellacheruvu. They meet every Friday to play pingpong and sometimes compete. Tournaments are frequent, regimented affairs, with strict rules and even a small entry fee.
Issaquah Women’s Club holds scholarship fundraiser
October 25, 2011
In order to help support three separate scholarship programs, the Issaquah Women’s Foundation of the Issaquah Women’s Club presents a benefit concert from 7-9 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Vasa Park Ballroom in Bellevue.
The featured entertainment will be Route 66, which performs the big band sounds of the swing era.
The Issaquah Women’s Foundation is the charity arm of the Issaquah Women’s Club. Founded in 1983, the group is an official 501(c)3 charity. The club is a social and service organization with about 100 members, said the group’s publicity committee chairwoman Deborah Bader.
“It’s grown over the years,” she added, saying members are of a wide variety of ages and backgrounds.
Eastside residents needed for affordable housing board
October 25, 2011
Issaquah residents can help shape regional policy on affordable housing on the Citizen Advisory Board for A Regional Coalition for Housing.
The board consists of 12 to 15 residents and housing professionals to assist ARCH staffers in evaluating local housing funding proposals and increasing awareness of housing issues on the Eastside.
In addition to offering information about housing and community issues, board members also offer perspectives on architecture, development, finance, planning, real estate and more.
The board typically meets one Wednesday evening per month. Learn more about ARCH and the Citizen Advisory Board at www.archhousing.org. Call ARCH Program Manager Arthur Sullivan at 861-3677 or email him at asullivan@bellevuewa.gov to apply for the board.
Liberty girls lose tiebreaker, finish No. 2 in KingCo cross country
October 25, 2011
Sara Bliesner takes the top girls finish among Liberty runners with a fifth-place, 19-minute, 52.42-second race on the 3.1 mile course at Lake Sammamish State Park. By Greg Farrar
The Liberty High School Patriots had five girls place in the top 20 at the KingCo Conference 3A cross country championships Oct. 21 at Lake Sammamish State Park.
The performance was good enough to force a tie with powerhouse Mercer Island. Both teams had 49 points.
However, the tiebreaker was the sixth runner on each team. Mercer Island’s finished 19th, and Liberty’s finished 24th, earning the Islanders the team championship.
It’s the second consecutive runner-up finish at KingCo for the Patriots. Liberty coach Mike Smith predicted a close finish.
“I told the girls it would probably be within five points,” he said.
Nevertheless, nobody wept at Liberty’s misfortune, least of all the Patriots’ runners themselves. The top four teams advanced to the Sea-King District Championships, along with the top 20 runners. Liberty enters the district meet Oct. 27 at Lake Sammamish as defending champions.
Liberty’s Sara Bliesner finished fifth in the 3.1-mile race in 19 minutes, 52.42 seconds.
