EFR gives soapbox racer to Rotary for summertime event
April 21, 2009
Dave Gray, finance chief for Eastside Fire & Rescue, stood beside the fire engine red soapbox derby car, one that will make its debut this summer. Then, with a smile, he leaned over and turned on the blinking red light on the car’s back seat.
Gray and other EFR staff presented the car to the Rotary Club of Sammamish at the April 14 EFR meeting. Both Issaquah and Sammamish hold soapbox derby races in the summer, officially called Challenge Day Races.
Sammamish Deputy Mayor Jack Barry (right) recognizes Leo and Rose Finnegan for their work in organizing the Issaquah and Sammamish soapbox derby races. Photo by J.B. Wogan
Teacher layoffs will hurt, but parents can help
April 21, 2009
Issaquah School District administrators will announce the number of teachers it will give layoff notices to at the school board meeting Wednesday night. Lake Washington School District has until mid-May to follow suit.
While the number is a moving target, make no bones about the fact that the number will be large — and it will hurt.
But the community should not panic. Read more
Letters to the Editor
April 21, 2009
Unhappy with Pine Lake
What happened to our family-friendly Pine Lake waterfront park?
You did a beautiful job with the rest of the park: ball fields, a basketball court, a play area, picnic grounds and concerts.
It’s just perfect and beautiful.
But what happened at the beach? There is no place for a mother to put down a blanket or towel to watch her children.
Where there used to be a sandbox for the children to build sand castles, dig and play in the sand, it’s now all logs, beauty bark and fences around all the trees where the moms used to sit.
There is no place for the kids to run and play and chase each other on the beach.
I have roots in this community. I was a school bus driver for Issaquah for 23 years. I know change is going to happen and a good change is great. But the beach is not a good change.
Children climbing on those big rocks and walking on those logs, they’re going to get hurt.
I have watched this park for years from my house across the lake and how the people enjoy the lake with their family. Now all there is is beauty bark and fences and nothing for special needs children.
Everyone has to go down steps to get to the water and the dock is not safe.
It’s beautiful and I love the wing you put on it for the fishermen, but some of it doesn’t even have railing on.
I know the one side is to tie-up your boats, but the children don’t know that. The rest of it where they do have railing is just a top rail.
You know the old saying if it works, don’t fix it?
You had a very workable sandy beach where mothers could sit, talk to each other, and watch their children play in the sand.
I don’t know who drew up these plans for the beach, but you can bet it wasn’t a mother.
The beach is a big waste of taxpayer money and much of it is beauty bark.
Helen Hedman
Sammamish
Elections are coming
I am writing this to make sure that all are aware that there will be a local election this November. Four positions on the City Council will be voted upon. Councliman Lee Fellinge has decided not to run this year. That leaves three current members up for re-election. They have not stated yet whether or not they will be running.
The reason I am writing this is that there are letters in this paper weekly from residents who are angry, or upset or just plain fed up with our current council. November will bring the opportunity to make changes here in the city of Sammamish.
It would be a breath of fresh air to have new citizens run for the positions on the council. Finding people to fill these positions, who have the time to attend meetings, might not be an easy thing to do.
Another option would be to vote to change the way our current council sits. We could vote to change our local government and have our mayor voted in by the people (the current system allows the council members to vote in their next mayor. Don Gerend is now mayor for the second time). Another idea would be to have council members responsible for areas of the city. Sammamish would be divided into seven areas and each council member would be responsible for that area and its residents.
There is much to think about for our city, but one thing is for sure, you cannot write letters to the editor and complain, if you are not willing to put the energy in to make changes.
Please let your voices be heard this November, and be willing to sign a petition to lobby for the process of initiatives and referendums.
Lori Barnett
Sammamish
Please stop for pedestrians
As I understand the law, motorists must stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, not waiting on a curb. And more than that, the pedestrian has to be in a motorist’s lane before he or she is required to stop. Yuk.
What this means for me, as a pedestrian, is that I must risk my 200 pounds against a 4,000-pound car, hoping that the driver sees me and decides to stop. Believe me when I say I don’t do that. Consequently, I am often standing on a curb, in the weather (cold, rain, whatever) waiting, while motorists drive by in their climate-controlled comfort.
So, this is an appeal to motorists — give pedestrians waiting on the curb a break. Please, stop for us. You can hurry our crossing if you use a hand signal indicating you are allowing us to cross. We can see you through your windshield. Thanks.
Lee Woods
Issaquah
Parting thoughts from a Sammamish councilman
April 21, 2009
By Lee Fellinge
Although I’m leaving the Sammamish City Council at the end of this year, my interest in the welfare of this special city has never been higher. So high, in fact, that I’ll be bold enough to offer a few thoughts to those who may be thinking about running for my open seat, and ultimately, to those who will vote for my replacement.
Along with the obvious but crucial traits – honesty, diligence, and a willingness to work collaboratively – a council candidate should also possess the intellectual energy to work on a broad range of issues, some of which are simultaneously important and exquisitely tedious. If the fire in your belly has been sparked by a single issue, remember that you are running for a job that will place you at the center of lengthy policy discussions you may find uninteresting. Read more
EFR continues discussion about annexing Fall City
April 21, 2009
Lee Soptich, fire chief for Eastside Fire & Rescue, spelled out the financial implications of expanding EFR to include Fire District 27 at an April 14 meeting. Most EFR members would see cost savings, but Sammamish would end up paying more, according to EFR calculations.
“All the partners, with the exception of Sammamish, their partnership contributions would go down,” Soptich said. Read more
Sammamish City Council working to save youth counseling center
April 21, 2009
Patti Skelton-McGougan painted a grim picture for eastside youths: eating disorders, attempted suicides and addiction to drugs and alcohol.
“They are not things that everybody talks about,” she said. Nonetheless, they are present on the plateau, and youths need help, she said.
As executive director of Issaquah-based Youth Eastside Services, Skelton-McGougan is negotiating a way to bring youth counseling services to Sammamish. Read more
Safety is the key when dealing with area wildlife
April 21, 2009
The deer on the plateau are already foraging and the bears are starting to wake up.
Cascade Ridge Elementary School reported a bear sighting in Trossachs near Sterling Square April 16.
That means plateau residents need to be aware of how to avoid encounters with such animals, including mountain lions and even bobcats, according to Bruce Richards, enforcement officer for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Read more
Sammamish Library hosts paper cutting demonstration
April 21, 2009
People who go to Aki Sogabe’s demonstration on the art of Japanese paper cutting will each walk away with a unique piece of art.
“The finished product is really different, even if they start with the same pattern,” she said.
“Spring Nap” by Aki Sogabe shows the type of art people will create.
Rachel Carson Elementary students show artistic talent
April 21, 2009
Fierce. Mesmerizing. Vibrant. Delightful.
Parents and friends used those and many other inspiring phrases to show their appreciation for the Carson Elementary student-artists’ work April 16 at the first ever art walk event.
Chloe Teo picks out colorful bits of clay for an activity. Photo by Christopher Huber
Smile power spreads the cheer worldwide
April 21, 2009
Students in Sammamish are being asked to show children around the world what their typical day is like.
“It’s a day in the life of a local student,” said Susan Evans, a board member and volunteer for International Smile Power. “We want to see what their school looks like, what they do during school day, on the weekend, if they do sports, and what their parents do.” Read more
