Issaquah Trophy & Awards donates to Jim Mora’s foundation
October 16, 2012
Issaquah Trophy & Awards has selected the Jim Mora Count On Me Family Foundation as its Awards for a Cause Recipient for the fourth quarter.
If a customer purchases select awards on the Issaquah Trophy & Awards website, www.issaquahtrophy.com, a portion of proceeds go to the foundation.
Mora, a former Seattle Seahawks coach, created the foundation to support children in need — primarily children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, mentally or physically challenged children, and children at risk.
The foundation affords young individuals the opportunity to realize their potential. Learn more about the Jim Mora Count On Me Family Foundation at www.countonmefoundation.org.
Off the Press
August 28, 2012
When news photographs whistled through wires
Our recent story about the book by Barry Sweet, the Seattle Associated Press photographer for more than three decades, brought back a lot of memories. I visited with Barry at the Issaquah Costco and enjoyed reliving old times.
Greg Farrar
Press photographer
Would you believe that once upon a time, it took 10 minutes to send one black-and-white photograph to newspapers across the country? And 40 minutes to send color?
While studying at the University of Washington, I landed a job in 1977 as one of five wirephoto operators at the Seattle bureau, working right next to Barry Sweet at the same desk and the same darkroom for two years.
A wirephoto — or Laserphoto — transmitter was about the size and weight of a carton of 10 reams of office paper. We typed a caption on sticky paper, put it on the margin of an 8-by-10 print, put it in the slot and pressed start.
The picture would slowly feed at an inch per minute as the laser would scan 120 lines an inch, turn the shades of gray into a constant rapid whistling of high- to low-pitched sound frequencies and send it across telephone lines.
Receivers at the nation’s newspapers would expose glossy thermal paper with synchronized lasers at the same time and spit out their reproductions when the transmission was done.
King County councilwoman touts arena proposal’s economic potential
August 7, 2012
Before the King County Council made a landmark decision to authorize public dollars for a sports-and-entertainment arena, Kathy Lambert received 2,700 emails.
The councilwoman, a Redmond resident and the Issaquah representative on the council, said most messages urged the council to approve the arena proposal.
Kathy Lambert
Reagan Dunn
In the end, after months of discussion and hours of testimony, Lambert joined the council majority to approve a key agreement for a $490 million arena — a linchpin in the plan to bring professional basketball back to Washington.
The council agreed July 30 to contribute up to $80 million for a proposed Seattle arena near Safeco Field — if investors can secure NBA and NHL franchises. The county contribution is capped at $5 million if only professional basketball comes to the arena.
The agreement does not include additional taxes for county residents. Plans call for 30-year public bonds to finance the arena, and for arena revenue to pay off the bond debt.
Lambert later cited the proposed arena’s economic benefits — jobs for arena construction and operation, plus tax revenue for the county and a tourism attraction — for the region as reasons for the yes vote.
Where in the world is Our Gang Racing?
January 24, 2012
The Miss Red Dot, driven by Kip Brown, prepares for racing in the Oryx Cup World Championships in Doha, Qatar, in November. By Chris Denslow/H1 Unlimited
Local hydroplane team competes in the Middle East
There’s nothing quite like watching an unlimited hydroplane race.
The sleek boats travel at speeds of about 200 mph, kicking up massive walls of water (called rooster tails) in their wake, all while majestically skipping across the surface waves.
Meet Seattle Seahawks’ Sea Gals in Issaquah
September 16, 2011
NEW — 8 p.m. Sept. 16, 2011
Meet the Sea Gals — cheerleaders for the Seattle Seahawks — in Issaquah on Saturday.
Members of the squad plan to meet fans at Gold’s Gym, 1025 N.W. Gilman Blvd., Suite E-8, from 11 am. to 2 p.m.
The event is part of Member Appreciation Day. Gold’s Gym members can bring family and friends to the event for lunch, giveaways and more. The raffle prize is a pair of tickets to a Seahawks game.
Issaquah girl, 9, dies after Bellevue pileup
July 26, 2011
Rachel Beckwith, a 9-year-old Issaquah girl injured in a 14-vehicle pileup in Bellevue early last week, died July 23 from injuries sustained in the crash.
Rachel and a 2-year-old sister rode in a Lexus sedan driven by the girls’ mother, Samantha Paul, as a tractor-trailer jackknifed into a loaded logging truck and spurred the chain-reaction crash.
Medics transported seven people, including a handful of Issaquah residents, to area hospitals in the aftermath.
Only Rachel sustained life-threatening injuries, and responders rushed the girl to Harborview Medical Center.
Rachel Beckwith
Just before 8 a.m. July 20, as traffic slowed due to congestion near the Interstate 405 interchange at 133rd Avenue Southeast, authorities said a tractor-trailer jackknifed into a logging truck in the adjacent lane.
“For whatever reason, whether the semi truck was going too fast, wasn’t paying attention or a combination of the two, for the conditions, he didn’t seem to see that traffic had stopped until the last second,” said Sgt. Keith Trowbridge, a Washington State Patrol spokesman. “At that point, he tried to put the brakes on, but he jackknifed and went into the log truck.”
The impact dislodged the rear axle of the logging truck and sent the piece hurtling into traffic.
Issaquah girl, 9, injured in 14-vehicle pileup, dies
July 23, 2011
NEW — 9 p.m. July 23, 2011
Rachel Beckwith, a 9-year-old Issaquah girl injured in a 14-vehicle pileup in Bellevue, died Saturday afternoon from injuries sustained in the July 20 crash.
Rachel and a 2-year-old sister rode in a Lexus sedan as the girls’ mother, Samantha Paul, as a tractor-trailer jackknifed into a loaded logging truck and spurred the chain-reaction crash.
Medics rushed seven people, including a handful of Issaquah residents, to area hospitals in the aftermath. Only Rachel sustained life-threatening injuries.
The teaching pastor at at EastLake Community Church, Jeremy Johnson, said Paul suffered head injures in the early morning crash, but is expected to recover. The younger daughter escaped without major injuries.
Off the Press
March 8, 2011
As a journalist, I’ve covered fatal accidents, murder plots and bizarre incidents involving women jumping naked through living room windows. These stories always catch me off guard, but a room of 11-year-olds recently caught me more off-guard than ever.
Tim Pfarr Press reporter
As part of Newcastle Elementary School’s literacy celebration the first week of March, I volunteered to read aloud to the school’s fifth-graders. After reading, I talked about my job and answered questions from the students.
“Do you do more interviews on the phone or in person?” one girl asked.
Very good question, I told her. Definitely on the phone.
“Have you ever interviewed Tim Lincecum?”
Not yet, but I’d love to, I said.
Then, the weird questions came.
“Who do you like more, the New York Knicks or the Orlando Magic? Who do you like more, the Orlando Magic or the Miami Heat? Do you like Duke University?”
What?!?
“Knicks? Magic? Yes?” I said.
Issaquah grad takes wing for flyover
January 11, 2011
Navy Lt. John Nelson, a 1997 Issaquah High School graduate, pilots a Boeing EA-18G Growler in the dash-2 position (left) in a two-plane flyover of Qwest Field on Jan. 8 for the Seattle Seahawks playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. By Greg Farrar
Sure, the Seattle Seahawks received a boost from the 12th Man in the improbable playoff triumph against the New Orleans Saints last week, but the home team had some air support before the match-up, too.
Issaquah High School graduate Lt. John Nelson, a Navy pilot, participated in the Qwest Field flyover just before kickoff Jan. 8. Read more
Gold Star
January 4, 2011
U.S. Army honors Issaquah senior
Evan Peterson
Issaquah High School senior and wide receiver Evan Peterson was named U.S. Army Player of the Week following a triple-overtime loss to Eastlake on Oct. 15. Representatives from the Seattle Seahawks and U.S. Army visited his school to honor Evan for his 11 catches for 176 yards and four touchdowns. The Seahawks donated $250 to Issaquah High School’s Associated Student Body in Peterson’s name, gave him two Seahawks game tickets, and a personalized jersey and football.
