County leaders propose property tax increase for juvenile detention center
March 6, 2012
King County leaders proposed a $200 million property tax levy March 1 to fund a replacement for the aging Youth Services Center, a juvenile detention facility in Seattle.
Kathy Lambert
Led by Councilman Bob Ferguson, County Council members proposed to put a measure on the August ballot for a nine-year levy. If the levy is placed on the ballot and passed, homeowners should pay about 7 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $20 per year for a home assessed at $350,000.
Councilwoman Kathy Lambert, the Issaquah representative on the board, joined Ferguson and councilmen Larry Gossett and Joe McDermott to introduce the legislation. County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Superior Court judges also support the proposed levy.
“We have done extensive work on several proposals for a replacement juvenile justice facility, and this appears to be the best option for kids, for families and for the neighborhood,” Constantine said in a statement.
King County leaders propose $200 million property tax levy for juvenile detention center
March 1, 2012
NEW — 9:30 a.m. March 1, 2012
King County leaders proposed a $200 million property tax levy Thursday to fund a replacement for the aging Youth Services Center, a juvenile detention facility in Seattle.
Kathy Lambert
Led by Councilman Bob Ferguson, County Council members proposed to put a measure on the August ballot for a nine-year levy. If the levy is placed on the ballot and passed, homeowners should pay about 7 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or about $20 per year for a home assessed at $350,000.
Councilwoman Kathy Lambert, the Issaquah representative on the council, joined Ferguson and councilmen Larry Gossett and Joe McDermott to introduce the legislation. County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Superior Court judges also support the proposed levy.
Prosecutors: Preston man masturbated at coffee stand
February 14, 2012
Prosecutors said a 31-year-old man attempted to break into a Northwest Gilman Boulevard coffee stand and then masturbated outside as terrified employees called police.
Preston resident Samuel K. McDonough faces a felony indecent exposure charge for the Feb. 2 incident. Police also arrested McDonough for indecent exposure in 2006, 2008 and last year.
Prosecutors said the latest incident occurred at about 8:30 a.m. at the BigFoot Java stand, 736 N.W. Gilman Blvd. The two female employees said McDonough purchased a drink and then asked to use the restroom inside the drive-thru coffee stand, court documents state.
The women refused to allow the man to enter. Then, he sat outside and started blowing kisses at the employees.
McDonough then sat outside the stand and started masturbating, court documents continue. Prosecutors said one employee noticed the man sitting on a chair outside and staring inside the stand during the incident.
Prosecutors charge man for masturbating outside Issaquah coffee stand
February 10, 2012
NEW — 7:15 a.m. Feb. 10, 2012
Prosecutors said a 31-year-old man attempted to break into a Northwest Gilman Boulevard coffee stand and then masturbated outside as terrified employees called police.
Preston resident Samuel K. McDonough faces a felony indecent exposure charge for the Feb. 2 incident. Police also arrested McDonough for indecent exposure in 2006, 2008 and last year.
Prosecutors said the latest incident occurred at about 8:30 a.m. at the BigFoot Java stand, 736 N.W. Gilman Blvd. The two female employees said McDonough purchased a drink and then asked to use the restroom inside the drive-thru coffee stand, court documents state.
The women refused to allow the man to enter. Then, he sat outside and started blowing kisses at the employees.
Sentencing is delayed again in senior fraud case
December 27, 2011
Sentencing for the former Issaquah insurance agent convicted of swindling more than $1 million from elderly clients has again been delayed, until Feb. 10.
Jasmine Jamrus-Kassim, 49, pleaded guilty Oct. 31 to 10 counts of first-degree theft in King County Superior Court. Prosecutors reduced the number of charges from 21 as part of a plea deal.
Jamrus-Kassim had been scheduled for sentencing Nov. 18 and again Dec. 9, but the court continued the hearing after the defendant requested a different attorney.
Prosecutors said Jamrus-Kassim stole at least $1,052,088 between late 2007 and late 2009. The seniors made out checks to Jamrus-Kassim. The clients thought she intended to reinvest the money for them.
Instead, she funneled the money into a personal account for clothes, jewelry, online psychic advisers and a trip to Mexico.
Redrawn King County Council map includes minor changes for local residents
November 22, 2011
The citizen panel responsible for redrawing King County Council districts kept Issaquah in the same district. Contributed
King County’s reshaped political map keeps Issaquah in the same County Council district, even as the citizen panel responsible for the updated map made significant changes elsewhere.
In a unanimous decision Nov. 15, the council-appointed King County Districting Committee approved the updated boundaries. The reshaped map is effective immediately, although the impact of the changes might not be evident until after the 2012 elections.
Issaquah remains in Councilwoman Kathy Lambert’s District 3. The committee kept the rural communities south of city limits in Councilman Reagan Dunn’s District 9, and swapped some unincorporated areas southeast of Issaquah between districts 3 and 9.
The committee’s decision followed a 10-month process, after members collected ideas and input from the public in meetings throughout the county.
Overall, more than 80 people testified and more than 160 offered written comments during the once-in-a-decade process. The committee also reached out to elected officials in the county’s 39 cities and state legislators for insight into communities.
Sentencing is delayed for insurance agent responsible for bilking seniors
November 22, 2011
Sentencing for the former Issaquah insurance agent convicted of swindling more than $1 million from elderly clients has been delayed until Dec. 9.
Jasmine Jamrus-Kassim, 49, pleaded guilty Oct. 31 to 10 counts of first-degree theft in King County Superior Court. Prosecutors reduced the number of charges from 21 as part of a plea deal.
Jamrus-Kassim was scheduled for sentencing Nov. 18, but the court continued the hearing until December after the defendant requested a different attorney.
Prosecutors said Jamrus-Kassim stole at least $1,052,088 between late 2007 and late 2009. The seniors — ranging in age from 74 to 90 — made out checks to Jamrus-Kassim. The clients thought she intended to reinvest the money for them.
Instead, she funneled the money into a personal account for clothes, jewelry, online psychic advisers and a trip to Mexico.
Bankers Life and Casualty, a company Jamrus-Kassim used to work for, agreed last month to repay the money she stole, plus interest.
Redistricting panel OKs reshaped King County Council districts
November 17, 2011
NEW — 6 a.m. Nov. 17, 2011
King County’s reshaped political map keeps Issaquah in the same County Council district, even as the citizen panel responsible for the updated map made significant changes elsewhere.
In a unanimous decision Tuesday, the council-appointed King County Districting Committee approved the updated boundaries. The reshaped map is effective immediately, although the impact of the changes might not be evident until after the 2012 elections.
Issaquah remains in Councilwoman Kathy Lambert’s District 3. The committee kept the rural communities south of city limits in Councilman Reagan Dunn’s District 9.
The committee’s decision followed a 10-month process, after members collected ideas and input from the public in a meetings throughout the county.
Ex-Issaquah insurance agent pleads guilty to swindling seniors
November 15, 2011
The former Issaquah insurance agent responsible for stealing more than $1 million from elderly clients to spend on clothing, online psychic advisers and more pleaded guilty Oct. 31.
Jasmine Jamrus-Kassim, 49, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree theft in King County Superior Court. Prosecutors reduced the number of charges from 21 as part of a plea deal.
The victims approved of the plea deal, said Ian Goodhew, deputy chief of staff for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. In some cases, victims’ family members agreed, because the victim had since died.
Prosecutors said Jamrus-Kassim stole at least $1,052,088 between late 2007 and late 2009. The seniors — ranging in age from 74 to 90 — made out checks to Jamrus-Kassim. The clients thought she intended to reinvest the money for them.
Instead, she funneled the money into a personal account for clothes, jewelry and a trip to Mexico.
Court records also show she made large payments to online psychic advisers, including $20,000 to a psychic website in a single month.
King County Council adopts ‘stable and balanced’ 2012 budget
November 15, 2011
In a unanimous decision Nov. 9, King County Council members adopted a $5.2 billion budget for 2012 focused on basic human needs, such as food and shelter, and maintenance for aging roads in rural and unincorporated areas.
The total includes a $650 million general fund budget — dollars for elections, law enforcement and other basic government functions. Leaders did not tap reserves for the 2012 spending plan.
“This stable and balanced budget is a product of a decadelong effort to respond to shrinking revenues by cutting costs while maintaining our high bond ratings through sound fiscal management,” Councilman Larry Phillips said.
The budget outlines a plan for some streets in rural and unincorporated areas near Issaquah to receive reduced maintenance and a lower priority for snow removal.
In turn, King County plans to shift attention to heavily traveled roads, such as Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast.
