Attempt made to lure Discovery Elementary student into truck
February 8, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. Feb. 8, 2012
Persons unknown tried to lure a local fifth-grader into a truck about 2:40 p.m. the afternoon of Feb. 8, Issaquah School District officials said.
The student was walking home from Discovery Elementary when a truck approached him on Southeast 20th Street just west of 228th Avenue Southeast on the Sammamish Plateau, said Sara Niegowski, district executive director of communications.
Two men inside the truck reportedly waved to the student, pulled the vehicle over and then allegedly motioned for the student to come closer, Niegowski said in a press release.
City hosts another debris drop-off event at Tibbetts Valley Park
February 8, 2012
NEW — 9:30 a.m. Feb. 8, 2012
Issaquah residents and business owners can drop off tree branches and other woody debris from recent storms at Tibbetts Valley Park on Saturday and Sunday, officials announced Wednesday.
The drop-off site is scheduled to open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park, 965 12th Ave. N.W. Only storm-related woody debris is accepted. Though representatives plan to monitor drop-offs, customers must unload material themselves.
The city held the initial debris drop-off event Jan. 28-29, and collected about 500 cubic yards of debris from 610 people. The most recent event, held Feb. 4-5, attracted more than 500 people to the park.
Cleanup continues in Issaquah after a crippling snowstorm and subsequent ice storm in mid-January.
Join 48th Legislative District lawmakers for town hall meeting
February 8, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Feb. 8, 2012
Residents can join Issaquah legislators to discuss the ongoing session in Olympia at a town hall meetings in Redmond soon.
Meet state Sen. Rodney Tom and state Reps. Deb Eddy and Ross Hunter — 48th Legislative District lawmakers — at the Feb. 18 meeting. The session comes as the Legislature confronts a $1.5 billion shortfall in the state budget.
In Issaquah, the district encompasses Greenwood Point, South Cove and other neighborhoods along Lake Sammamish.
The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon in the Council Chamber at Redmond City Hall, 15670 N.E. 85th St.
Washington State Redistricting Commission members shifted the 48th District elsewhere in the recent reshuffling. (Remaining Issaquah neighborhoods fall inside the 5th and 41st legislative districts.) The realigned political maps go into effect for the November election.
State utilities regulator focuses on energy conservation
February 8, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Feb. 8, 2012
The state utilities regulator, the Utilities and Transportation Commission, has created a Conservation and Energy Planning Section to focus on energy use and renewable energy, officials announced Tuesday.
The section focuses on conservation and renewable energy requirements, energy reliability, greenhouse gas emissions and low-income programs.
“These changes recognize that conservation and renewable energy have become larger and more visible parts of our work,” Regulatory Services Director Mark Vasconi said in a statement.
The just-created Conservation and Energy Planning Section is under the leadership of longtime staff member Deborah Reynolds, assistant director.
Officials appointed Acting Assistant Director for Energy Regulation Tom Schooley as the permanent assistant director for the energy section. The section continues to focus on economic regulatory matters, including rate cases, finance and accounting.
Skyline cheerleaders sickened after Everett competition
February 7, 2012
NEW — 8:35 p.m. Feb. 7, 2012
Skyline High School cheerleaders brought home a championship at a recent competition held in Everett.
They also may have brought back an as-yet-unidentified health problem.
State health officials say they are investigating a possible intestinal illness among attendees at a cheerleading competition held at Everett’s Comcast Arena on Feb. 4. Symptoms began to appear Feb. 5 and 6. They include vomiting and diarrhea, according to a state press release.
Skyline cheerleaders began reporting symptoms the evening of Feb. 5, said Sara Niegowski, Issaquah School District executive director of communications, in an email. In total, eight cheerleaders have been out sick, Niegowski added. The Skyline ill also include Principal Lisa Hechtman and one assistant coach. Hechtman attended the cheerleading event, Niegowski said.
Mayor focuses on economy in State of the City address
February 7, 2012
Mayor Ava Frisinger highlighted a more muscular economic development effort and a reshuffled City Hall structure in the State of the City address — the speech to set Issaquah leaders’ agenda for the months ahead.
The address, delivered Feb. 6, days after the city announced employee layoffs, echoed a top priority from the City Council — a concerted effort to attract businesses to Issaquah and convince established businesses to remain in the city. The effort to remake City Hall functions also dominated the speech.
Ava Frisinger
“A major focus for 2012 will be enhancing our economic vitality, which is a community’s capacity to be economically competitive, resilient and attractive to both private and public enterprise,” Frisinger said.
Under a reorganization plan prepared by Seattle consultant Moss Adams and delivered late last year, the city focused on efficiency and effectiveness. The consultant discovered different cultures, expectations and management styles across municipal departments. Moss Adams pointed out the differences in coordination, scheduling and tracking across departments.
“In the end, our goal is to enhance customer service, find efficiencies and prepare our city for the years and decades ahead,” Frisinger said.
Though the reorganization emerged as a strong theme, Frisinger also used the address to spotlight ongoing projects.
Senators offer key support for same-sex marriage bill
February 7, 2012
Issaquah legislators offered key Republican support for the same-sex marriage bill passed in the state Senate on Feb. 1.
Cheryl Pflug and Steve Litzow joined the 28-21 majority to endorse the legislation.
So far, a half-dozen states — Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont — plus Washington, D.C., allow same-sex marriage. Washington state has had a domestic partnership law — or “everything but marriage” law — in place since 2009.
Cheryl Pflug
Steve Litzow
(Pflug, a former state representative from Maple Valley, represents the 5th Legislative District; Litzow, a freshman senator from Mercer Island, represents the 41st legislative district.)
Issaquah’s other senator, Democrat Rodney Tom, also endorsed the legislation. (Tom represents the 48th Legislative District, including the Greenwood Point and South Cove neighborhoods.)
The measure heads next to the state House of Representatives. The bill is expected to easily pass the House and proceed to Gov. Chris Gregoire to be signed into law.
The governor, a Democrat, endorsed same-sex marriage legislation last month. Gregoire praised the Senate decision.
Receive free health screenings at Issaquah-Sammamish Health & Safety Fair
February 7, 2012
The eighth annual Issaquah-Sammamish Health & Safety Fair will be held at Pickering Barn on Feb. 11 with plenty of free health screenings to make it worthwhile for area families. The free event is from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The fair will feature more than 50 health care professionals. They will offer a number of free health screenings, including blood pressure, bone density, cholesterol, blood sugar, eye pressure, body composition and spinal/posture.
Local Republicans gear up for caucuses, a chance to pick presidential nominee
February 7, 2012
Local Republicans could tilt the national contest to nominate a GOP challenger to President Barack Obama, as residents across Washington gather for caucuses early next month.
City seeks applicants for municipal boards, commissions
February 7, 2012
City leaders need civic-minded citizens to offer advice on key issues as municipal board and commission members, even as officials remain undecided about just how many such groups Issaquah needs.
