Meet the Sea Gals — cheerleaders for the Seattle Seahawks — in Issaquah on Friday afternoon.

Members of the squad plan to meet fans at the downtown Issaquah Shell station, 15 E. Sunset Way, from 4-5 p.m.

The appearance is part of the Rockstar Seahawks Fantasy Camp promotion — a chance for 60 lucky fans to join a Seahawks camp and meet team personnel. Contestants must enter by Sept. 14.

King County crews completed pedestrian-safety projects near Briarwood Elementary School and Pacific Cascade Middle School in time for students to return to campus.

The county Road Services Division installed electronic speed limit signs along 168th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 314th Street near Briarwood. The signs use solar power to operate.

Near Pacific Cascade, the Road Services Division added curb, gutter and sidewalk to Southeast Issaquah-Fall City Road, plus electronic speed limit signs.

Classes started Tuesday in the Issaquah School District.

“Our department works with more than 15 districts that have schools in unincorporated areas of the county to keep students safe as they walk or bike to school,” Road Services Division Manager Linda Dougherty said in a news release. “It’s a healthy habit for students, and it helps reduce traffic congestion around the schools.”

Dougherty said the Road Division works with school district transportation officials and school principals to make walking routes safer in unincorporated King County.

The division has focused on paving road shoulders and adding curbs to create walking paths alongside the roadway, adding flashing lights to remind motorists about schoolchildren, and re-striping crosswalks and other road markings near schools.

Parents and residents should call 206-296-6596 with questions or concerns about pedestrian or driver safety near schools in the unincorporated King County. Learn more about traffic safety here.

The inaugural sustainability “report card” from the city touted Costco carpools, the Sustainable Issaquah community garden and affordable-housing construction in the Issaquah Highlands as signs of “green” progress.

The city released the report Wednesday. City staffers collected data to answer the question: How sustainable are we?

“The report shows us many positive signs — including an increase in Issaquah’s natural open spaces,” Mayor Ava Frisinger said. “Commuters are also making fewer drive-alone trips, volunteerism is strong and participation in the arts is increasing.”

But the report also indicated shortcomings. The nonprofit Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank has seen demand spike in recent years, and the city requires more affordable housing.

Read the complete report here.

The community garden — spearheaded by Sustainable Issaquah and planted on the AtWork! property — has become a source for fresh produce for the food bank.

“We hope this report builds awareness, and inspires action within our community, including Issaquah’s nonprofit organizations, businesses and citizens,” Frisinger said. “In the coming years, Issaquah also plans to issue future sustainability reports to further track our progress.”

The report also highlighted the Costco program to encourage employees to carpool, use mass transit or telecommute to the company’s Issaquah headquarters.

YWCA Family Village at Issaquah, a highlands affordable-housing complex under construction, also received a nod for using eco-friendly methods.

The “report card” stems from a program launched in 2008. Frisinger assembled a 16-member panel to develop a long-term vision of sustainability and then offer benchmarks to help the community track progress.

Turnout in the August election reached the highest level for a primary in six years, but participation did not meet pre-election estimates.

The all-mail election attracted 39 percent of King County voters. King County Elections had forecast 45 percent turnout before the election. The office tallied 421,157 ballots.

The county Canvassing Board met Wednesday to certify the results of the Aug. 17 contest.

“We saw a respectable rate of participation considering this was not a presidential election year,” county Elections Director Sherril Huff said in a news release. “We were able to process ballots very efficiently and got some great support from many voters who returned their ballots early.”

Some ballots could not be counted due to issues with the voter signature. Ballots returned after Election Day — 8,800 in all — could not be counted.

Ballots for the Nov. 2 general election go into the mail Oct. 13. The deadline to update voter registration information for the election is Oct. 4. People can register in person through Oct. 25.

The final results differed little from earlier tallies.

State Rep. Glenn Anderson retained a large lead against David Spring — 58 percent of the vote for the Fall City Republican legislator, compared to 25 percent for Spring, a North Bend Democrat. The candidates faced off to represent the 5th Legislative District in 2008.

State Rep. Judy Clibborn preserved a commanding lead against Bellevue Republican Stephen Strader — 56 percent for the Mercer Island Democrat and 38 percent for Strader.

Newcastle attorney Donna Tucker and Redmond City Prosecutor Larry Mitchell headed into the race for a post on the King County District Court bench — 45 percent for Tucker to 34 percent for Mitchell.

The court handles traffic infractions, misdemeanor criminal offenses and some civil cases. The district includes Issaquah and most of eastern and northeastern King County.

The elections office plans to release the results of precinct committee officer races Sept. 13. The officers serve as local party representative in their neighborhoods.

Nominate businesses with outstanding community service records for a state Corporations for Communities Award, the highest civics award in the state.

Find the nomination form at the Secretary of State website. Nominate businesses by Oct. 15.

Secretary of State Sam Reed started the program last year to recognize local businesses for making a difference in the Evergreen State.

Officials will announce the winners — a small corporation and a large corporation — in November. Winners receive a National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion.

Reed honored Issaquah developer Rowley Properties through the program last fall.

“This is an opportunity to encourage and recognize standout corporations that choose to make their community a priority,” Reed said in a news release. “With our state still facing tough economic times, it’s important to point out and honor businesses that are giving an extra effort to make a difference in Washington.”

Issaquah’s artEAST more than tripled its space Wednesday, creating more room to sell and display art and hold art demonstrations, workshops and lectures.

ArtEAST Executive Director Karen Abel signed a five-year lease today for the historic Lewis Hardware building.

“I handed over the big check,” Abel said. “I kind of recall the very first time it occurred to us to think, ‘Wow, maybe we should move forward and try to make this happen.’ It’s pretty amazing to be sitting here four months later.”

ArtEAST began about five years ago, with local artists volunteering their time to staff the Up Front Art gallery, 48 Front St. N., downtown Issaquah. The new art center, just across the street at 95 Front St. N., will be a larger version of UP Front, Abel said.

At 3,250 square feet, the new art center is about triple the size of UP Front. Abel called the location and the historical significance of the building a “long-term investment” for artEAST and the community.

Issaquah is in the middle of a burgeoning art community, stretching from Issaquah to North Bend and down to Maple Valley.

ArtEAST has about 80 members, but Abel said it serves as many as 5,000 who enjoy it during ArtWalk or through its public outreach with discussions and demonstrations.

With its new expanded space, artEAST could coordinate with Issaquah Valley schools, the Issaquah Valley Senior Center, local art stores, Village Theatre and summer camps, Abel said. The nonprofit group plans to move into the new building by the end of October, and is already planning a grand opening.

No matter what happens, Abel said she is happy to keep the memory of the old Lewis Hardware store alive.

The hardware store operated for 104 years. Its last owner, Steve White, bought the store in 1992 and closed it in 2007.

“Anyone who has been in this community for a while has a Steve White story,” Abel said. “We would love to have him in artEAST, whether he is talking bolts or showing his own paintings.”

ArtEAST has already raised $20,000 for the new art center and hopes to raise more, Abel said. To join or to donate, call 392-3191 or go to the group’s website.

“From the location of Issaquah, to the location of Front Street, to the importance that the hardware store played in the community, this is just an extraordinary opportunity,” she said.

Beware of scammers attempting to collect credit card information and personal identification numbers.

The warning to Washington residents came from the Better Business Bureau, after Olympia and Lacey residents reported suspicious phone calls from unknown callers attempting to collect the sensitive data under the guise of verification purposes.

The callers identify Evergreen as the business name. The calls appear to originate at 502-568-8884, but the caller has spoofed the number on caller ID to match a phone number that belongs to a legitimate, Kentucky-based business: The Zoppoth Law Firm.

The nonprofit Better Business Bureau continues to investigate the origin of the unidentified caller.

The organization advised residents to steer clear of anonymous requests for personal information:

• Be wary of requests to “verify” information, especially if the caller claims affiliation with a well-known business or government agency.
• Never give out credit card information or Social Security numbers to unknown or unsolicited requests.
• If interested in making a purchase over the phone, verify authenticity first. Request the caller’s name, company name, address and phone number; inform him or her that you will contact them if interested. If the representative refuses to give out basic company information, don’t bother.
• Research the company name online. Be skeptical if negative results show up; make sure the company information provided matches information posted online. Check www.bbb.org for a BBB Reliability Report.
• Contact the company using contact information found on their official website or in a public directory. Do not rely on the information the caller provided.
• When contacting the company, confirm that the call legitimate; verify that the solicitor is a valid employee and that the call actually came from the company. Get written materials or agreements before making purchases over the phone.

Interstate 90 traffic slowed to halt east of Sunset Way on Wednesday morning after a tractor-trailer fire.

Crews cleared the accident scene by about 8 a.m.

The westbound lanes shut down at about 7 a.m., but lanes soon reopened within to allow traffic through.

Eastside Fire & Rescue crews brought the fire under control.

The announcement kicks off a comprehensive review by Bellevue College leaders. The college — the third-largest educational institution in the state — intends to determine how the site could suit long-term needs.

“Our main campus is reaching the limit of how much we can expand our classroom space,” college President Jean Floten said in a statement. “If we don’t take action now, we could easily end up boxed in by our own property boundaries, not to mention the growing traffic congestion all around us. We need to be able to keep expanding with the community.”

Estimates for the campus size, the projected student body or how the project could impact density in the highlands remain undefined.

The college has no plans to relocate operations from the Bellevue campus and — despite preliminary discussions between college leaders and Snoqualmie officials — has not outlined other plans to expand elsewhere in East King County.

Port Blakely Communities, the developer behind the highlands, owns the 20-acre parcel under consideration.

“This also is the best time for 10 years, at least, to acquire land at a good price and in an excellent location,” Floten said. “Importantly, it affords freeway access for those coming west and east and is close to the Highway 18 exchange.”

The site could also put a campus in close proximity to a Swedish Medical Center complex scheduled to open in phases in 2011 and 2012, plus a King County Metro Transit hub.

If the property meets “due diligence requirements for purchase, we would acquire it with funds we have saved for this purpose for over a decade,” Floten said. “There is no state appropriation for this acquisition, and any site development wouldn’t occur for a couple of years.”

Economic engine

The property under consideration is a piece in a complicated land deal meant to preserve about 140 forested acres — 102 acres on Tiger Mountain and another 43 acres adjacent to the highlands.

Under the agreement, up to 550 additional residences could be built on 35 acres near the highlands. The land under consideration by Bellevue College is part of the 35-acre parcel.

The current zoning for the unincorporated King County land allows institutional uses, such as schools, churches and college campuses. The city could annex the parcel if the property owner requests for the city line to be redrawn.

Port Blakely executive Judd Kirk — a member of the highlands team — said questions remain about how a campus could impact traffic in the neighborhood, but he praised the proposal as a potential boon.

“I think having a use like that would be a benefit to Issaquah Highlands and the city as long as we understand all of the impacts,” he said.

Mayor Ava Frisinger said she hoped for the Bellevue College announcement to help allay concerns from highlands residents uneasy about added density in their neighborhood.

Before the City Council opened the land to denser development in a unanimous decision Aug. 16, members heard from about 20 people — most of them highlands residents opposed to the deal.

Frisinger said city leaders stepped up efforts to attract a college campus after a 2005 city-commissioned economic vitality report recommended a campus for Issaquah.

“This is something that we have hoped for for a very long time throughout the city,” she said.

Keith Watts, a downtown property owner and member of the 2005 economic vitality task force, said a college campus could make Issaquah more appealing to businesses.

Businesses also may not need to conduct broad searches for employees if a campus opens in Issaquah.

“Having that labor supply there so they don’t have to recruit as hard or work as hard to fill turnover can make a difference,” city Economic Development Manager Dan Trimble said.

Potential partnerships

Only the University of Washington and Washington State University outrank Bellevue College in size. The institution serves about 35,000 students each year.

Floten noted the proximity of the highlands site to the Swedish campus and other medical offices could mean partnership opportunities for the college’s health care programs.

Other potential draws: the under-construction YWCA Family Village at Issaquah, Grand Ridge Elementary School and access to mass transit.

The features “present the potential for developing innovative programs,” Floten said. “In all, this is a great location.”

Cathy MacCaul, associate director of community affairs for the local YWCA, said the nonprofit organization and Bellevue College held discussions about 18 months ago about potential partnerships.

YWCA Family Village at Issaquah is due to add about 400 residents to the neighborhood by late next year. The affordable-housing complex could be a source of students for a college campus, MacCaul said. The proximity could be a bonus, too.

“If those resources are closer, I think that removes one of the barriers,” she added.

Dan Dixon, Swedish vice president for external affairs, said Bellevue College helped meet a demand for nurses and medical-imaging technicians. The college, he added, has been nimble in responding to market needs, especially in the health care field.

The highlands’ proximity to Interstate 90 is also a draw, he said. Dixon credited Floten for considering a location near the planned Swedish campus. The hospital should employ at least 1,000 people after the final phase opens in 2012.

“Jeanne has had an interest in expanding the college services east, and the highlands are one of the best places you can develop,” he said.

Mayor Ava Frisinger and Greg Prothman, the Bellevue headhunter hired by the city, had narrowed the list to a half-dozen candidates by last week. The number had shrunk to five by Aug. 30, after a finalist accepted a job in another city.

Frisinger has so far remained tight-lipped as she searched for a successor to Leon Kos, the city administrator for 33 years. Kos retired in late April and the search for a replacement started in late spring.

The process has been kept quiet in part because the applicants do not want their current employers to know about their job searches.

Frisinger intends to lift the cloak of confidentiality surrounding the process at a public reception Sept. 7.

“Not only do we get to know the candidates, but they get a chance to know the community better,” Prothman said.

The five finalists — all men — and 46 other candidates applied for the job by mid-July. Prothman said four of the finalists come from Washington; the other hopeful resides in Ohio.

Frisinger described the finalists as friendly and high-energy people. The mayor said the finalists had studied Issaquah issues before she interviewed them at the Prothman office in Eastgate.

“I’ve had a sense that they would be a good fit here, each and every one of the remaining people,” she said last week. “Then, it’s the hard task of the community and the staff panel to decide which of those would be the best fit.”

City department chiefs and a community group appointed by the mayor interview the finalists the day after the public reception. Plans also call for the finalists to be taken on a tour of the city as part of the process.

The panels then offer recommendations to the mayor. Frisinger intends to select a top candidate and recommend the candidate to the City Council. The council has the authority to make the final hiring decision.

The next administrator stands to earn $124,500 to $158,916 — plus benefits — and settle into the role in October.

Not long after Kos retired, the city directed Prothman to conduct a nationwide search and focus on Western states. From the 51 applicants, Frisinger and Prothman selected 13 semifinalists.

“The semifinalists were all qualified on paper,” Prothman said.

Get involved

City administrator search community meeting

5 p.m.

Tibbetts Creek Manor

750 17th Ave. N.W.

Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.