Who’s News
March 6, 2012
Sister hand therapists join rehabilitation center
Certified hand therapists Stephanie and Sheila Yakobina have joined Proliance Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation, 510 Eighth Ave. N.E., Issaquah.
The sisters graduated from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, with their Bachelor of Science degrees in occupational therapy in 1994. In 1998, they completed a hand therapy fellowship at Texas Women’s University, in Houston. They became certified hand therapists in 2001.
After moving to Washington in 2006, they returned to TWU to earn their master’s degrees in advanced hand therapy.
The duo are past recipients of the American Society of Hand Therapists’ Presidential Award and the President’s Gold Award.
Spiritwood resident celebrates one Eck of a 100th birthday
February 14, 2012
Violet Eck (center) celebrates her 100th birthday Feb. 7 with friends and family including sons Steven Ek (left) and Roger Ek. By Tom Corrigan
At least in front of a reporter, Violet Eck didn’t have much to say on the occasion of her 100th birthday.
Eck celebrated the day with family Feb. 7 at the Spiritwood at Pine Lake retirement community in Issaquah. She was born in 1912 in Spokane, though she has lived in this area for a number of years.
Asked if she had anything to say to a reporter, Eck had a quick comeback that drew big laughs from family members.
“No,” Eck said, “I don’t tell those things.”
Nevertheless, her oldest, Steven Ek, told his mom’s story nicely.
While still in high school, Eck was offered a debate scholarship to Washington State University. But the Great Depression interrupted her college plans at least for a while. There simply was no money, Ek said, to pay for his mother’s living expenses had she gone to school.
By the way, you might have noticed the elder Eck and her sons spell their names differently. There are at least two stories as to why Violet Eck added an extra consonant to her last name.
College News
January 31, 2012
Local student graduates from Purdue
Kristin Krieg, a 2007 graduate of Skyline High School, graduated from Purdue University in December, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering.
Krieg is employed by The Boeing Co. in the Research and Technology Division, in Seattle.
Governor appoints Issaquah High School alumna, former county executive to WSU board
January 17, 2012
Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Issaquah High School graduate Ryan Durkan, a Seattle attorney, and former King County Executive Ron Sims to the Washington State University Board of Regents, Gregoire announced Dec. 14.
The board acts as the university’s governing body. Regents supervise, coordinate, manage and regulate the WSU system.
Durkan, a WSU alumna, is a respected attorney at HCMP Law Offices specializing in real estate, land use and environmental law. (Ryan Durkan’s sister is Jenny Durkan, U.S. attorney for Western Washington.)
“Ryan has proven she’s passionate about the importance of education — serving on the board of trustees for an elementary school, a middle school and a high school,” Gregoire said in a statement. “Her experience improving our education system, combined with her legal background and her commitment to community, make her a natural fit.”
Horns celebrate 50th anniversary
December 27, 2011
Jimmy and Monita Horn in 2011
Monita grew up in Coulee Dam and Jimmy grew up in Pullman. They met in Pullman while both were attending college. Jimmy had just returned from the United States Navy after five years and Monita was a senior at Washington State University.
Al Schy, president of the Folkdance Club, hosted a party at his house in Pullman. It was between semesters and only a few students were in town. Al invited his old buddy, Jimmy, and introduced him to Monita and her friends. That spring, Jimmy attended the Folkdance Club.
Monita didn’t pay much attention to Jimmy until that summer, when they were all working. She needed a ride out to the hills to collect plants. They spent several times together, getting to know each other.
That fall, Monita went to college in the east and they wrote to each other once a week. When she came back on vacation in August, Jimmy picked her up at the airport in Spokane, giving her a ride home. Later he proposed, and she accepted.
Monita found an apartment in Pullman to live in until they were married. She went to graduate school in botany and taught a lab section of Botany 101 for work. They were married Dec. 29, 1961.
Governor appoints Issaquah High School graduate, former county executive to WSU board
December 14, 2011
NEW — 2:15 p.m. Dec. 14, 2011
Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Issaquah High School graduate Ryan Durkan, a Seattle attorney, and former King County Executive Ron Sims to the Washington State University Board of Regents, Gregoire announced Wednesday.
The board acts as the university’s governing body. Regents supervise, coordinate, manage and regulate the WSU system.
Durkan, a WSU alumna, is a respected attorney at HCMP Law Offices specializing in real estate, land use and environmental law. (Ryan Durkan’s sister is Jenny Durkan, U.S. attorney for Western Washington.)
“Ryan has proven she’s passionate about the importance of education — serving on the board of trustees for an elementary school, a middle school and a high school,” Gregoire said in a statement. “Her experience improving our education system, combined with her legal background and her commitment to community, make her a natural fit.”
Apple Cup rivalry heats up football fever
November 29, 2011
Theresa Schaap (right), city administrative assistant, keeps score as University of Washington and Washington State University fans face off in a pre-Apple Cup competition for city employees. By Greg Farrar
The faithful donned crimson and gray or purple and gold, depending on geography, history or loyalty — and sometimes, a combination.
University of Washington Huskies and Washington State University Cougars, all city employees, gathered in a City Hall conference room Nov. 23 to spend lunchtime trashing the other team and singing fight songs.
The pre-Apple Cup rally is a tradition at City Hall. The boasts and good-natured — maybe — insults started early in the week, but the cross-Cascades competition unfolded Nov. 26 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. In the end, the Huskies triumphed, 38-21.
Clad in team sweatshirts and caps, employees deciphered football referee signals, answered trivia questions about the rival universities and snacked on tailgate-party-style foods.
The trash talk served as the appetizer.
“Do you know how to get rid of a Cougar at a party?” a UW fan asked. “Pay him for the pizza.”
City arborist offers advice to protect trees for winter
November 29, 2011
Issaquah city arborist and horticulturalist Alan Haywood said trees can suffer significant damage in winds of about 40 mph.
And Haywood said winds of that strength are not all that unusual in Issaquah. So, what do you do about the potential problem?
“Well, you can’t do anything to stop the wind,” Haywood said.
But there are steps you can take to protect both your trees and your home and other property from damage. Kevin Zobrist is a forestry educator for WSU and was one of the instructors for a recent outreach course on protecting trees. He said unhealthy or potentially hazardous trees will exhibit several warning signs, including yellowing or thinning foliage. Zobrist said the most common tree problem locally is root rot, a type of fungal infection.
According to Zobrist, the Douglas firs common in the Northwest are particularly susceptible to root rot. Some signs include a rounded, as opposed to a pointed, treetop.
King County Council joins effort to land 737 aircraft assembly site
November 29, 2011
Dow Constantine
In a push to promote King County as the top place to assemble next-generation Boeing 737 jets, County Council members agreed Oct. 24 to fund studies to support local and statewide efforts to land the program.
In a complementary effort to ensure the planes get built in Washington, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced a $9.8 million plan Nov. 16 to retain the project.
The global aerospace company is researching possible locations to assemble the next-generation 737 — a re-engineered aircraft called the 737 MAX. The existing 737 model is assembled in Renton.
In order to land the manufacturing facility for the aircraft, dubbed the 737 MAX, Gregoire proposed spending $7.6 million to expand engineering programs at the University of Washington and Washington State University; $1.5 million to create a Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation at the UW and WSU; $450,000 to support aerospace curriculum at 12 high schools; and $250,000 to bolster science, technology, engineering and math programs at 10 high schools.
“There is no question that Washington state is the best place in the world to build the Boeing 737-MAX jetliner,” Gregoire said in a statement.
Skyline grad Kasen Williams stars in Apple Cup
November 29, 2011
Kasen Williams, who had many memorable moments at Skyline High School, likely won’t forget his first Apple Cup, either.
The freshman wide receiver caught five passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns Nov. 26 to help the University of Washington beat rival Washington State University, 38-21, at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Williams caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Keith Price in the first quarter to put the Huskies ahead 14-0. Then, with just 24 seconds left in the first half, Williams hauled in a 21-yard pass from Price to put Washington ahead for good at 21-14.
Three other Skyline graduates saw action in the game. William Chandler was the holder on all Washington placekicks and linebacker Cooper Pelluer also played some on defense. For the Cougars, Gino Simone caught a pass for 32 yards.
Chandler recently earned Pacific-12 Conference All-Academic Team second-team honors. He has a 3.83 grade point average and is a business/accounting major.
