King County Sheriff’s Office to hire 14 deputies
October 13, 2012
King County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert (center) joins Councilman Joe McDermott (from left), King County Executive Dow Constantine and Sheriff Steve Strachan for the hiring announcement Friday. Contributed
NEW — 6 a.m. Oct. 13, 2012
King County Sheriff Steve Strachan announced a plan Friday to hire 14 deputies in the months ahead by using dollars from the existing King County Sheriff’s Office budget.
Puget Sound Energy prepares for high seasonal rain, wind
October 12, 2012
NEW — 8 a.m. Oct. 12, 2012
Puget Sound Energy is prepared if high winds and heavy rain hit the region in the days ahead as forecast, a company executive said Thursday.
National Weather Service meteorologists in Seattle said heavy rain is expected throughout the Puget Sound region over the weekend and into next week. The long spell of dry weather came to a sudden end Friday, and heavy rain is expected to arrive late Saturday.
Andy Wappler, PSE vice president of corporate affairs and a certified meteorologist, said the Bellevue-based utility spent the dry months preparing for autumn and winter weather.
“While the sun was shining these past few months, our crews were busy trimming trees, working on reliability projects and getting ready for winter,” he said in a statement. “Now that the weather is changing, those preparations will help us serve our customers as storm season begins.”
Pizzeria offers ‘Slice of Hope’ for breast cancer awareness
October 12, 2012
NEW — 8 a.m. Oct. 12, 2012
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria is offering breast cancer patients a Slice of Hope by donating 20 percent of sales Friday to the Karen Mullen Breast Cancer Foundation, a national charity based in Seattle.
Tutta Bella operates restaurants in Issaquah and Seattle.
Slice of Hope unites pizzerias across the nation to fight breast cancer. Funds raised across the country support the nation’s leading breast cancer researchers, including those at UW Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
“Tutta Bella wants to help end this disease,” Tutta Bella founder Joe Fugere said in a statement. “That’s why from now until the Oct. 12 event we will match dollar for dollar up to $5,000 for any donations made at Tutta Bella in addition to donating 20 percent of sales on Oct. 12.”
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Marshalls to open in Issaquah Highlands
October 11, 2012
NEW — 4 p.m. Oct. 11, 2012
Retail offerings in the Issaquah Highlands include a mix of local and national companies, developers behind the neighborhood’s $70 million Grand Ridge Plaza retail complex announced Wednesday.
The latest announcement adds Dick’s Sporting Goods, Marshalls and HomeGoods to the retail center alongside a Regal Cinemas multiplex, and a Safeway and associated gas station. City officials announced plans for RAM Restaurant & Brewery, Big Fish Grill and ULTA Beauty on Oct. 2.
The highlands lineup includes homegrown businesses Zumiez, a specialty sports equipment and clothing company based in Lynnwood, and another location for Seattle-based Chinoise Sushi Bar & Asian Grill.
Firefighters wear pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 11, 2012
NEW — 10 a.m. Oct. 11, 2012
Eastside Fire & Rescue employees and firefighters plan to don pink shirts from Oct. 17-19 to show support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The agency joins the International Association of Firefighters and many other local and national groups in the fight against cancer. In the United States, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, according to the American Cancer Society.
“No one is outside the reach of cancer,” EFR Chief Lee Soptich said in a statement. “Whether personally afflicted or in support of friends, family, neighbors or coworkers, most of us have experienced the impacts of cancer, and feel it a privilege to be associated with this worthy cause.”
Tully’s Coffee files for bankruptcy protection; Issaquah store is unaffected
October 10, 2012
NEW — 4 p.m. Oct. 10, 2012
Tully’s Coffee filed for bankruptcy protection Wednesday, but the chain founded by Issaquah High School alumnus Tom Tully O’Keefe does not plan to close its local store.
The chain announced the Chapter 11 filing and the closing of underperforming stores in Seattle, Kirkland and Redmond, plus plans to renegotiate leases for the remaining stores. Executives said rising commodity prices and challenging lease economics contributed to the bankruptcy decision.
“The company will continue to have a formidable presence in the Puget Sound area, focusing on our core mission of serving the highest quality coffee in a warm and comfortable environment with outstanding customer service,” CEO Scott Pearson said in a statement.
Tully’s operates a local store in Pickering Place, 1171 N.W. Sammamish Road.
Bear on campus puts Issaquah Valley Elementary into lockdown
October 10, 2012
Bears roam on the Issaquah Valley Elementary School campus Wednesday. By Jake Kuper, Issaquah School District
NEW — 4 p.m. Oct. 10, 2012
A bear and three cubs paid a surprise visit Wednesday to Issaquah Valley Elementary School, prompting administrators to put the building into lockdown.
Issaquah police officers don aprons for Tip-a-Cop fundraiser
October 10, 2012
NEW — 11 a.m. Oct. 10, 2012
Issaquah police officers plan to protect and serve — meals, that is — as the agency’s Tip-a-Cop fundraiser returns.
For the annual Tip-a-Cop fundraiser, officers intend to don aprons and dish up burgers, fries and more to diners at Red Robin. All tips collected by the Issaquah Police Department benefit Special Olympics Washington.
Tip-a-Cop returns from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Red Robin, 1085 Lake Drive.
During the event, police officers — alongside Special Olympics athletes and restaurant employees — serve patrons and collect donations. Special Olympics Washington provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Salmon Days Festival is packed to the gills
October 9, 2012
Unseasonably warm weather greets visitors for fun, sun
Thousands of visitors to Salmon Days fill Sunset Way on a warm and sunny Saturday to help set an attendance record for the annual two-day festival. By Greg Farrar
The calendar says it is October. The changing colors of the tree leaves suggest that autumn is in the air and the endless stream of chinook congregating at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery definitely confirms it.
Facebook, friends lead police to suspect in Skyline threat
October 9, 2012
Police said a trail of Facebook comments led investigators to a suspect in the Sept. 20 shooting threat against Skyline High School.
Parker N. Mace
Facebook taunts directed at Skyline High School students linked the incident to a 16-year-old Edmonds boy, a former Skyline student. Police said Parker N. Mace posted the Skyline threat on the online bulletin board 4chan just before midnight Sept. 19.
Then, after frightened Skyline students created a Facebook group to discuss the threat, police said Mace posted mocking comments. The taunts, plus information from friends, led police to a surprising arrest in the case.
King County prosecutors filed a felony harassment charge against Mace on Oct. 4, after King County Chief Juvenile Court Judge Helen Halpert ordered electronic home detention and restricted computer access for him. Mace pleaded not guilty to the charge Oct. 5.
