Dump post-feast grease to protect pipes from damage
November 23, 2011
NEW — 6 a.m. Nov. 23, 2011
Thanksgiving grease is notorious for causing slippery situations in local sewer systems.
Grease can cause the same problems in municipal sewer systems as in human arteries. The goop sticks to the inside of sewer pipes, leads to blockages and, maybe, expensive cleanups.
So, the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks joined Seattle-based General Biodiesel to offer residents with a safe way to toss cooking oil and grease. The material is then recycled, and does not end up in drains or landfills.
General Biodiesel is offering 10 locations countywide to dump leftover cooking fats and grease. The closest 24/7 drop-off location is Safeway, 630 228th Ave. N.E., Sammamish. The tank is located behind the store.
Developer requests $3 million from city for Issaquah Highlands retail center
November 22, 2011
In order to complete a long-planned business district in the Issaquah Highlands — and transform 14 acres into a cinema, shops, restaurants and more than 1,700 parking stalls — the developer behind the project said about $3 million in city funds is needed.
The developer, Florida-based Regency Centers, said the highlands project needs the dollars to complete roadwork and other infrastructure.
Regency and highlands developer Port Blakely Communities announced a deal in July to sell the land for a retail center, but before Regency completes the deal, company planners asked city leaders to commit public dollars to the project.
City officials said the retail complex could generate about $1 million in sales tax revenue each year.
Press Editorial
November 22, 2011
Say no to $3 million for highlands developer
The developers of the proposed Issaquah Highlands retail center have asked the city to kick in $3 million for infrastructure improvements.
They’ve got to be kidding!
We’re glad to see the city encouraging economic development, but this is not the right project.
Regency Centers, a Florida-headquartered strip mall developer, estimates the city could receive about $1 million each year in sales tax revenue once the retail center is up and running. “Could” is the operative word.
Developer requests city funding to complete Issaquah Highlands retail center
November 17, 2011
NEW — 9 p.m. Nov. 17, 2011
In order to build more stores in the Issaquah Highlands — and transform 14 acres into a cinema, shops, restaurants and more than 1,700 parking stalls — the developer behind the project said about $3 million in city funds is needed.
The developer, Regency Centers, said the highlands project needs the dollars to complete roadwork and other infrastructure.
Florida-based Regency Centers and highlands developer Port Blakely Communities announced a deal in July to sell the land for a retail center, but before Regency Centers completes the deal, company planners asked city leaders to commit public dollars to the project.
Port Blakely is also expected to contribute about $1 million to the project after shifting dollars from other commitments, such as a planned bus route expansion to the highlands.
Kiwanis Club of Issaquah seeks coat donations
November 1, 2011
The Kiwanis Club of Issaquah is holding a coat and shoe drive throughout November.
The drive runs from Nov. 1-30 and donations benefit the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank.
Coats and shoes — in adult and child sizes — should be clean, and new or gently used.
Donation sites include The Issaquah Press, KeyBank, AtWork!, Eastside Audiology, Hilton Garden Inn, Sammamish Club, Columbia Athletic, Liberty High School, Footzone and Starbucks by Safeway.
Kiwanis Club of Issaquah seeks coat donations
October 25, 2011
The Kiwanis Club of Issaquah is holding a coat and shoe drive throughout November.
The drive runs from Nov. 1-30 and donations benefit the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank.
Coats and shoes — in adult and child sizes — should be clean, and new or gently used.
Donation sites include The Issaquah Press, KeyBank, AtWork!, Eastside Audiology, Hilton Garden Inn, Sammamish Club, Columbia Athletic, Liberty High School, Footzone and Starbucks by Safeway.
Safeway proposes Issaquah Highlands store
October 18, 2011
City Council allows gas station for grocer, a key factor in decision
Safeway planners proposed a modern Issaquah Highlands store in a recent permit application to the city. Contributed
The plan to open a grocery store in the Issaquah Highlands — a still-unmet target from early goals for the community — reached a milestone in early October, as Safeway submitted a proposal for a store in the neighborhood.
Meanwhile, City Council members adjusted longstanding development rules to allow a gas station in the highlands — a critical factor in Safeway’s proposal to build the store.
In a unanimous decision, council members adjusted the agreement between the city and highlands developer Port Blakely Communities to allow a gas station in the neighborhood. The council also added rules to the development agreement to require a gas station to be built alongside a grocery store.
Issaquah City Council, school board candidates gather at forum
October 18, 2011
Candidates for local and regional offices offered prescriptions for counteracting the ailing economy and educating a 21st-century workforce at a forum Oct. 13.
Candidates for positions on the Issaquah School Board laugh at a joke during a candidate forum Oct. 13 at the King County Library Service Center. By Greg Farrar
Organized by The Issaquah Press and moderated by Publisher Debbie Berto, the forum attracted candidates for City Council, Issaquah School Board and Port of Seattle Commission.
The candidates, gathered at the King County Library System headquarters in Issaquah, answered questions in 40-minute sections organized by office.
The forum occurred days before King County Elections mails ballots, and as many voters start to pay attention to the off-year election. Election Day is Nov. 8.
Though the majority of council seats is up for election, only a single seat is contested. In the lone contested race, challenger TJ Filley faces incumbent Councilman Joshua Schaer for the Position 4 seat.
Incumbent Councilman Fred Butler, appointed Councilwoman Stacy Goodman and candidate Paul Winterstein did not attract opponents for the other positions.
In a far-reaching discussion about municipal issues — transportation headaches, economic development, ongoing efforts to regulate a medical marijuana operations and more — Filley and Schaer stuck to usual themes from the campaign.
Issaquah, Port of Seattle candidates answer questions
October 13, 2011
Councilman Fred Butler (right) answers a question as council candidates (from left) TJ Filley, Joshua Schaer, Stacy Goodman and Paul Winterstein listen during a candidate forum Thursday. By Warren Kagarise
NEW — 11:30 p.m. Oct. 13, 2011
Candidates for local and regional offices offered prescriptions for counteracting the ailing economy and educating a 21st-century workforce at a forum Thursday.
Organized by The Issaquah Press and moderated by Publisher Debbie Berto, the forum attracted candidates for City Council, Issaquah School Board and Port of Seattle Commission.
The candidates, gathered at the King County Library System headquarters in Issaquah, answered questions in 40-minute sections organized by race.
Council allows Issaquah Highlands gas station despite concerns
October 11, 2011
Opponents raise questions about groundwater contamination
City Council members, eager to attract more retail options to the Issaquah Highlands, decided a gas station can open in the neighborhood, but only if groceries accompany the fill-ups.
The council agreed in a 7-0 decision Oct. 3 to change the agreement between the city and highlands developer Port Blakely Communities to allow a gas station in the community. Concerns about possible groundwater contamination led city officials to ban gas stations in the highlands before construction on the neighborhood started in the mid-1990s.
Safeway outlined plans for a gas station to accompany a proposed highlands store, and city officials and gas station proponents said the rule change is a crucial step to attract the grocery chain. The gas station is proposed for a funnel-shaped lot between Ninth Avenue Northeast and Highlands Drive Northeast, next to a future Safeway.
The debate before the council decision exposed a split among highlands residents eager for more amenities in the community, and residents from elsewhere concerned about potential groundwater contamination from gas station leaks.
