Wanted: Issaquah-area holiday light displays
November 27, 2012
Holiday lights started to twinkle from homes and businesses in the Issaquah area just before Thanksgiving.
Before Christmas arrives, The Issaquah Press seeks spectacular — or just plain cute — light displays from throughout the Issaquah School District to feature in upcoming issues.
Email your contact information and, if possible, a photo of your illuminated light display to editor@isspress.com, or contact the newspaper on Twitter at www.twitter.com/issaquahpress, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/issaquahpress.
Issaquah Turkey Trot raises more than $25,000 for food bank
November 27, 2012
Runners set out from the starting line Nov. 22 at the Issaquah Turkey Trot 5K, a holiday fundraiser for the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank. Contributed
For the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank’s largest fundraiser all year, the Issaquah Turkey Trot, Heather Matthews set out to raise $15,000 to stock the shelves.
Instead, in a bountiful Thanksgiving haul, she collected more than $25,000 for the food bank, topping the goal and the previous races last year and in 2010.
On Thanksgiving, before the feast, about 1,500 people joined the Issaquah Turkey Trot 5K to raise money for the food bank and burn some pre-meal calories.
Many participants donned holiday-themed attire, including a pair of runners dressed head to toe as Thanksgiving turkeys.
Dump post-feast grease to protect pipes from damage
November 22, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Nov. 22, 2012
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.
Officials recommend putting cooled cooking fats and grease into a sealed container for transport to the drop-off locations. Then, slowly pour the grease into the collection container to avoid splatters. Close the community lid tank and take containers home.
Washington State Patrol reminds motorists to avoid holiday DUIs
November 21, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Nov. 21, 2012
Thanksgiving ranks at No. 2 in King County for the holiday with the most arrests for motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Washington State Patrol troopers urged revelers not to turn celebration into stress by driving under the influence Thursday, Thanksgiving, and throughout the holiday season.
“At the end of the day, targeting behavior that kills and injures is truly what matters,” state patrol Capt. Chris Gundermann, District 2 commander, said in a statement.
In 2011, troopers in King County made 22 arrests for DUI on Thanksgiving. The number puts the holiday second only to New Year’s Day for the number of DUI arrests on a holiday. The arrests last Thanksgiving included four collisions without injuries and a minor collision with injuries.
Issaquah retailers prepare for Black Friday rush
November 20, 2012
The day after Thanksgiving, long before the sun rises, open season for bargains starts at retailers throughout Issaquah and beyond.
Black Friday sends shoppers pinging from store to store like a pinball in search of deals — a 32-inch LCD television for $147 at Target, perhaps, or a Blu-ray player for $39.99 at Best Buy. Consumers brave predawn darkness, long lines and sharp elbows to score early-bird bargains.
The boost to retailers’ bottom lines could also offer a jolt to city coffers. Popular Black Friday destinations — including Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Fred Meyer, Target and, of course, Issaquah-based Costco — lure consumers from throughout the region.
Issaquah is a retail hub on the Eastside, and city officials hope the holiday rush resuscitates a flat year for spending. Overall, sales tax revenue forms a key piece in the city budget — a larger share than property tax revenue and permit fees, other main sources of dollars.
Church donates 1,000 Thanksgiving turkeys to residents in need
November 20, 2012
In a decade-old Thanksgiving tradition, Eastridge Church delivered 1,000 turkeys and bags of groceries to families in need Nov. 17.
The church distributed dinner packages on a first-come, first-served basis, and no demonstration of need was required for assistance.
“The Thanksgiving season is a time to we all naturally reflect on our lives and the good things that we’re experiencing, but it can also be a difficult time for families with limited resources,” Lead Pastor Steve Jamison said in a statement.
Church leaders held the event simultaneously at its Sammamish Plateau and West Seattle campuses.
“We want to show our community that Eastridge cares by providing a blessing this Thanksgiving to those who may be struggling to make ends meet,” Jamison continued.
State serves Thanksgiving travel tips to motorists
November 20, 2012
Before the feast, Thanksgiving launches the holiday travel season.
The state Department of Transportation is offering numerous travel information tools for motorists headed out during the holiday weekend.
Thanksgiving weekend typically ranks among the busiest periods all year for Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass.
In the Puget Sound area, Interstate 5 and I-90 express lanes operate on a weekend schedule Nov. 22, Thanksgiving.
What are you thankful for? Issaquah residents respond
November 20, 2012
The Issaquah Press asked people in the community what they are thankful for on Thanksgiving.
“I’m thankful that I live in a community where I have a lot of good friends to support me and a nice, loving family.”
Sophie Leung, Sammamish
Holidays alter King County Metro Transit schedules
November 20, 2012
King County Metro Transit bus riders should prepare for reduced service in upcoming weeks.
The transit agency operates on a reduced weekday schedule on several holidays through January — including a full week of reduced service at the end of December. Thanksgiving and the day after the holiday include reduced bus service.
The planned reductions arrive during a slow period, as Metro Transit experiences a reduction in weekday riders — estimated to reach 15 percent or more systemwide.
Soggy conditions could cause street flooding
November 20, 2012
Expect a soggy Thanksgiving and a side of rain on the day before the holiday, as a series of systems batters Western Washington.
The weather comes as rain-soaked Pacific systems barrel across the region in quick succession. National Weather Service meteorologists in Seattle said strong fronts should affect Western Washington, and increase the risk of flooding on streets.
