Sammamish Forum June 24
June 23, 2009
Counseling center
doesn’t fit
The neighbors have protested turning the Sween House into a counseling center but the city still plans to. It seems this is the stupidest move the city has ever made.
The counseling center for juveniles can include a lot of different levels of delinquents. Why were they sent to the counseling center? It could be simple like break-ins or something much worse like being sex offenders.
The Sween House is in the Commons. I did not think that they could put a business of this kind where children often play.
The facility is down a dead end, one-way road. It is over half a mile to a bus stop and there is no sidewalk, or streetlights. Now lets be practical. The upper level of City Hall could be used as the counseling center; there is even police protection there. They also have the vacant mansion to the south.
The best place for the center would be at the corner of 20th and 228th Avenue Southeast. It is a well-lit spot with a bus stop right in front. The city is moving their maintenance equipment to a new location. Why didn’t they consider this location for the counseling center? Could it be that two of the council members live within a stone’s throw of this facility? And the people in this neighborhood don’t want that here.
I don’t think they will have police patrolling the dark areas in the Sammamish Commons. Well, think for yourself and then you will see. Whatever the council decides to do, it does; no matter what we the people say.
Urban Masset
Sammamish
New council needs
to look at budget
Without significant change in economic policies, by 2015 Sammamish will not be able to maintain and develop infrastructure, provide adequate levels of service, and protect the value of Sammamish properties and homes.
According to budget projections, between 2007 and 2009, city revenues will decrease by $4.8 million. During the same period, city operating expenditures are budgeted to increase from $26.6 million to $30.1 million, a $3.5 million increase. Combining the increase in expenditures with the decrease in revenues, the city’s budget shrank by $8.3 million. Remove $5.3 million from the general fund and transfer it to an emergency revenue stabilization fund and it is easy to see the $8 million – $10 million saved on road projects is no budget windfall.
Looking ahead to 2010, the city’s beginning fund balance is projected to drop from $50.8 million in 2009 to $11.7 million in 2010. In these number holes, between 2007 and 2010 the city would experience a 45 percent drop in adjusted income from $103 million to $56.8 million. This decrease is in the context of vigorous budget controls, service reductions, fee increases, project delays, project scope reductions, and other cost cutting activities.
In June of 2008 at a budget retreat, Stan Finkelstein, executive director of the Association of Washington Cities, told the City Council they needed to increase revenues and diversify the city economy or else face a major crisis. A year has passed and the City Council has not yet responded to Finkelstein’s warning.
Ten years without an economic development plan leaves Sammamish on the brink of an economic crisis.
Citizens need to hear what candidates for the City Council think about the city’s economy. How will Sammamish stop this economic decline? Can past policies meet future realities?
John Galvin
Sammamish
Cheaper catalogs
are possible
The Department of Education spends about $16 million per year to print and mail curriculum catalogs to every residence in Washington. Four times per year I get catalogs from 3 different community colleges, the U of W, and Renton Technical College. It would be fully effective to replace these catalogs with a two part postcard. A person, who is not inclined to access the catalogs via the Web, would return a part of the postcard, requesting a catalog. This would reduce the cost to less than half a million per year.
J Neil Butchart
Issaquah
Why no cell tower?
The June 3 Review addressed an issue which seems strange to me.
The school district is strapped for funds and a cell tower was a source of $1,300 each month.
Some people are against such a move and indicated it was not safe and reduce property values. What evidence did they offer, if any? Has anyone heard of any incidents of a cell tower hurting anyone?
What is more likely to reduce property values, a cell tower on school property or a recession? In addition, will all of those folks who are against a cell tower making money for the school district, please throw all of their cells phones in the cell phone recycle bin?
Ken Sessler
Issaquah
When Pravda, a Russian newspaper, recognizes that the U.S. is declining into Marxism with breathtaking speed, you, a citizen of this country, must sit up and take notice.
I wrote to this paper during the election espousing dire economic consequences with the election of President Obama due to the unbridled power he and the Pelosi/Reid democrat congress have yielded.
Ask yourself the question; am I better off after five months under Obama? I think not. Real estate prices continue to decline, our neighbors (even at Microsoft) continue to lose their jobs and our state deepens its budget gap. Concerning the state budget, face it, people are scared and are not spending money because the government is scaring us. Washington state is cutting back just like we will experience nationally if the current administration gets its way.
If Obama and his cronies get their way this year we will see at least an almost immediate (this year) 20 percent decline in our standard of living due to increases in fees, taxes, cap and trade, national sales tax, healthcare takeover, etc.
We are headed toward a 1970s explosion in interest rates and it has already begun. Mortgage rates have jumped one full point in three months as the presses roll on. With the all of the Obama/Geithner printing presses going full stream printing money we are headed toward a borrowing cost that will exceed our national GDP. Look to Europe, most of the EU countries voted in conservatives.
In the next year, please consider that voting against the party in power to put the checks and balances back into our government.
Consider voting against Patty Murray.
John Burg
Sammamish
Counseling center doesn’t fit
The neighbors have protested turning the Sween House into a counseling center but the city still plans to. It seems this is the stupidest move the city has ever made.
The counseling center for juveniles can include a lot of different levels of delinquents. Why were they sent to the counseling center? It could be simple like break-ins or something much worse like being sex offenders.
The Sween House is in the Commons. I did not think that they could put a business of this kind where children often play.
The facility is down a dead end, one-way road. It is over half a mile to a bus stop and there is no sidewalk, or streetlights. Now lets be practical. The upper level of City Hall could be used as the counseling center; there is even police protection there. They also have the vacant mansion to the south.
The best place for the center would be at the corner of 20th and 228th Avenue Southeast. It is a well-lit spot with a bus stop right in front. The city is moving their maintenance equipment to a new location. Why didn’t they consider this location for the counseling center? Could it be that two of the council members live within a stone’s throw of this facility? And the people in this neighborhood don’t want that here.
I don’t think they will have police patrolling the dark areas in the Sammamish Commons. Well, think for yourself and then you will see. Whatever the council decides to do, it does; no matter what we the people say.
Urban Masset
Sammamish
New council needs to look at budget
Without significant change in economic policies, by 2015 Sammamish will not be able to maintain and develop infrastructure, provide adequate levels of service, and protect the value of Sammamish properties and homes.
According to budget projections, between 2007 and 2009, city revenues will decrease by $4.8 million. During the same period, city operating expenditures are budgeted to increase from $26.6 million to $30.1 million, a $3.5 million increase. Combining the increase in expenditures with the decrease in revenues, the city’s budget shrank by $8.3 million. Remove $5.3 million from the general fund and transfer it to an emergency revenue stabilization fund and it is easy to see the $8 million – $10 million saved on road projects is no budget windfall.
Looking ahead to 2010, the city’s beginning fund balance is projected to drop from $50.8 million in 2009 to $11.7 million in 2010. In these number holes, between 2007 and 2010 the city would experience a 45 percent drop in adjusted income from $103 million to $56.8 million. This decrease is in the context of vigorous budget controls, service reductions, fee increases, project delays, project scope reductions, and other cost cutting activities.
In June of 2008 at a budget retreat, Stan Finkelstein, executive director of the Association of Washington Cities, told the City Council they needed to increase revenues and diversify the city economy or else face a major crisis. A year has passed and the City Council has not yet responded to Finkelstein’s warning.
Ten years without an economic development plan leaves Sammamish on the brink of an economic crisis.
Citizens need to hear what candidates for the City Council think about the city’s economy. How will Sammamish stop this economic decline? Can past policies meet future realities?
John Galvin
Sammamish
Cheaper catalogs are possible
The Department of Education spends about $16 million per year to print and mail curriculum catalogs to every residence in Washington. Four times per year I get catalogs from 3 different community colleges, the U of W, and Renton Technical College. It would be fully effective to replace these catalogs with a two part postcard. A person, who is not inclined to access the catalogs via the Web, would return a part of the postcard, requesting a catalog. This would reduce the cost to less than half a million per year.
J Neil Butchart
Issaquah
Why no cell tower?
The June 3 Review addressed an issue which seems strange to me.
The school district is strapped for funds and a cell tower was a source of $1,300 each month.
Some people are against such a move and indicated it was not safe and reduce property values. What evidence did they offer, if any? Has anyone heard of any incidents of a cell tower hurting anyone?
What is more likely to reduce property values, a cell tower on school property or a recession? In addition, will all of those folks who are against a cell tower making money for the school district, please throw all of their cells phones in the cell phone recycle bin?
Ken Sessler
Issaquah
Sammamish bus routes in peril
June 23, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Stephanie Murphy wouldn’t be too worried if King County Metro cuts the 216 bus route.
She said she often uses the 218 commuter route, which runs from the Issaquah Highlands to downtown Seattle, and that route would be her backup plan if the 216 stopped running.
“I ride the 216 once in a while, but I normally ride the 218. Even if it’s a little farther away it’s worth it to drive the four miles,” she said.
Murphy and other riders might need to make those adjustments, such as doing that extra bit of driving, to keep using local bus routes. Metro is facing a growing budget hole and is looking for ways to cut costs.
Possible bus service reductions are a moving target and nothing is final, but that hasn’t stopped Kathy Huckabay from fearing the worst.
“I’m very concerned that the express bus will go,” Huckabay said, referring to the 216 commuter bus route.
The 216 stops along 228th Avenue six times in the morning and six times in the evening, going through Redmond to downtown Seattle.
Huckabay, a member of the Sammamish City Council, is the vice chair for the King County Regional Transit Committee.
Metro Transit depends heavily on sales tax revenues, a funding source that has dried up in the last year, causing the public transit agency to plan ways to cut costs.
The exact extent and method of cuts isn’t final yet, but the proposed scenarios all involve fewer buses running on fewer routes.
Huckabay is anticipating that Metro Transit would identify the 216 route as one to cut, in part because it doesn’t have as many riders as other routes.
But Huckabay said the 216 is popular, so much so that if more buses ran along the route, it would translate into more riders.
The route’s current ridership numbers aren’t reflective of the latent demand, she explained.
As of now, Metro Transit plans to institute cuts that would be equal in proportion to the current level of service in each of the county’s three sub-areas (west, south and east).
In that scenario, 62 percent of the cuts would be in the west sub-area (including Seattle, Lake Forest Park and Shoreline), 21 percent of the cuts would be in the south sub-area and 17 percent would be in the east sub-area (including Bellevue, Redmond, Sammamish and Issaquah, as well as parts of unincorporated King County).
“I do think that they should be reduced the way the program has it — in proportion to the amount of service in the area,” said Sammamish Mayor Don Gerend, who is also the vice chair of Metro Transit’s Eastside Transportation Partnership.
Not everyone agrees.
The Municipal League of King County, a non partisan and nonprofit civic volunteer group, criticized Metro Transit’s current service reduction model in a May 27 letter to the King County Council.
“We believe this policy would lead to unacceptably drastic impacts,” the letter said.
The league also submitted a report in November 2008 suggesting that Metro Transit needed to rethink how it identifies demand and how it doles out new bus service.
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who serves as the chair of Sound Transit’s Board of Directors, sent a letter to King County Executive Kurt Triplett June 11 calling for a retooling of Metro Transit’s reduction model.
“This could have devastating effects, limiting transit-dependent riders’ mobility and putting others back into their cars,” Nickels wrote.
Nickels’ letter also asked for any reductions this year to be considered “suspensions;” the nuance in rhetoric would mean that Metro Transit would restore service to pre-suspension levels before worrying about allocating new service.
Metro Transit’s current policy on allocating new bus service is a hotly contested issue that is intertwined with its cutback policy because it ultimately affects who gets service if and when Metro Transit’s budget stabilizes.
The current new bus service allocation policy favors the south and east sub-areas, giving them each 40 percent of new bus service while Seattle gets 20 percent.
For the west sub-area, this could mean that buses would be reduced now and not restored at the same rate or in the same proportion as they were reduced.
But Gerend said he thought it was a waste of time and energy to focus on changing the policy for new bus service.
“I don’t see any reason to get into an argument at this time because it’s going to be years before it gets restored,” Gerend said.
Intern Lauren McLaughlin contributed to this story.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Stephanie Murphy wouldn’t be too worried if King County Metro cuts the 216 bus route.
She said she often uses the 218 commuter route, which runs from the Issaquah Highlands to downtown Seattle, and that route would be her backup plan if the 216 stopped running.
“I ride the 216 once in a while, but I normally ride the 218. Even if it’s a little farther away it’s worth it to drive the four miles,” she said.
Some officials fear the 216 bus route may be cut. Photo by Lauren McLaughlin
Sammamish officials oppose new fire authority
June 23, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Higher taxes, less direct contact with the governing body and less say in how the body operates — those were some of the issues that caused residents in Sammamish to form its own city 10 years ago. And yet, fire protection advocates are now pushing for a regional fire protection agency model that might result in everything Sammamish residents sought to avoid.
Two partners of Eastside Fire & Rescue, which includes Sammamish, are exploring the option of forming a regional fire authority with an independent taxing authority.
The city is outside the borders of those partners — Fire Districts 10 and 38. Sammamish officials say they want no part of such an entity.
“We haven’t seen any information that it’s going to improve the quality of service for our residents,” Sammamish City Councilman Jack Barry said. Barry sits on the Eastside Fire & Rescue board of directors as one of two Sammamish representatives.
“The only thing we hear, at best, is that bigger is better. We don’t necessarily subscribe to that,” Barry said.
“The argument that they use is that they can be more efficient and that they can share resources better,” Sammamish City Councilman Lee Fellinge said. Fellinge is Sammamish’s other representative on EFR’s board of directors. “You can accomplish the same thing through cooperative agreements.”
Fellinge added that he is leery of potential conflict-of-interest situations in a regional fire authority.
“The quality of the governance tends not to be as good. What you get as a governing body is firefighters. There’s nothing wrong with firefighters, but there’s a conflict of interest,” Fellinge said, adding that firefighters in governing roles would have the dubious responsibility of approving salaries for themselves and their peers.
“It wouldn’t matter if you were setting that up for fire or any other service that you can imagine,” Fellinge said.
At the June 9 board of directors meeting, Fellinge reiterated to his fellow board members that Sammamish is not interested in becoming part of a regional fire authority or any other kind of expanded fire agency.
Formal partnerships and the formation of a regional fire authority are different from mutual aid agreements, which EFR currently has in place with surrounding fire agencies such as the Fall City and Snoqualmie Pass fire departments. EFR Fire Chief Lee Soptich reported to the board of directors June 9 that he is also pursuing an equipment-sharing arrangement with Mercer Island City Fire Department.
“Sammamish taxpayers would see a significant increase in cost of fire service without an added benefit in coverage,” Fellinge said. “It would be unfair to our taxpayers.”
Regardless of Sammamish’s position, the idea of a regional fire authority is picking up traction in nearby areas.
Elected members of fire commissions in Fire Districts 10 and 38 have voted to form a planning committee July 15 that will develop a proposed fire authority, with the possible inclusion of Snoqualmie Pass, Issaquah, Woodinville and other local fire districts not associated with cities.
Supporters say regional fire authorities are supposed to enable multiple fire departments in adjoining areas to make joint decisions that cut costs while providing equal or better service for the overall area, according to EFR Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Griffin.
Eric Robertson said the theory works. Robertson is the administrator of the Valley Regional Fire Authority, which combined the Auburn, Algona and Pacific fire departments with the Fire District 31 in January 2007.
“The first two years of our existence, it has provided a reliable, flexible funding source to meet our demands. Across the board, the average taxpayer saw just a very slight increase,” Robertson said.
Rick Gaines, who used to sit on the EFR board of directors and is the chair of the District 10 Fire Commission, said forming a regional fire authority would help build new fire stations. A regional fire authority could spread the cost across a wider taxpayer base, he said.
Under the EFR structure, individual partners must go to their individual taxpayers to pay for major capital expenses like a new fire station. So, while service might be borderless, funding is cordoned off to individual taxpayer bases. A recent example was the November bond passed by Issaquah voters for a new fire station. While the fire station might have had benefits to all of EFR’s partners, Issaquah residents had to pay for it.
Issaquah City Councilman Dave Kappler, one of Issaquah’s representatives on the EFR Board of Directors, said he liked the concept of a regional fire authority enough to explore the option, but he has some reservations about how it will work in practice.
“I’ve been skeptical about them, mostly on the funding model,” Kappler said.
Meanwhile EFR administrative staff is trying to appear neutral on the issue. EFR staff might attend meetings about forming a regional fire authority, but the administration has no official position on regional fire authorities, Deputy Griffin said. If partners like Sammamish wanted to join a regional fire authority, the individual city council or fire commission would have to take a formal vote to participate.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Higher taxes, less direct contact with the governing body and less say in how the body operates — those were some of the issues that caused residents in Sammamish to form its own city 10 years ago. And yet, fire protection advocates are now pushing for a regional fire protection agency model that might result in everything Sammamish residents sought to avoid.
Two partners of Eastside Fire & Rescue, which includes Sammamish, are exploring the option of forming a regional fire authority with an independent taxing authority. Read more
EFR hopes to cut costs for next year
June 23, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Fire protection services are costing too much — that is the message North Bend, Issaquah and Sammamish conveyed to its regional provider, Eastside Fire & Rescue.
At a June 9 EFR meeting, Fire Chief Lee Soptich said his staff was looking for any way to minimize cost increases for 2010.
For 2009, Sammamish paid roughly $5.3 million to Eastside Fire & Rescue for fire protection services, about a 6.2 percent increase in its cost from the previous year. Sammamish was responsible for 26 percent of the partner contributions, with North Bend, Issaquah, and two King County fire districts paying the rest.
In May, Finance Chief Dave Gray said the 2010 EFR budget would require an average increase of 6 percent in costs to each of the partners.
“Given a perfect world, we would be asking for more than the 6 percent that we’ve projected because we have needs,” Soptich told the EFR board of directors June 9. “It’s clear that our partners are not going to be able to sustain that.”
In December, the Sammamish City Council approved a 5 percent increase for fire services in its 2010 budget.
The exact details of how EFR would prevent a 6 percent increase (or higher) aren’t clear yet. Soptich emphasized just how much work the fire agency has to do in planning for limiting those costs:
“It’s almost like President Kennedy saying we’re going to the moon by the end of the decade. We don’t even know how we’re going to get there,” Soptich said.
Nonetheless, Finance Chief Dave Gray said his staff was working on a plan. EFR would have a three-pronged approach that would have no cost increases for equipment replacement and limited cost increases for employee salaries and benefits. To offset any employee costs, EFR would tap into its emergency reserve fund. The plan would be spread out over three years, with the hope that the cities’ funding sources would stabilize at the end of that period.
“If this does go longer, that either means that we lay people off, or we look to some of these other accounts for temporary relief,” Soptich said.
While Sammamish has been a local advocate of minimizing EFR costs, its two representatives on the EFR board were skeptical of the methods Gray outlined for reducing costs.
Lee Fellinge, a Sammamish City Councilman who sits on the EFR board of directors, said he was against using the emergency reserve fund at all.
“That’s certainly not a sustainable strategy,” he told his colleagues on the Sammamish City Council.
Jack Barry, another Sammamish City Councilman on the EFR board, said he was uneasy, too.
“I think reserve funds are for emergencies. I think when the economy turns on you, then you have some other avenues,” Barry said. “The number one thing you want to stay away from is personnel … I don’t think the firefighters should be the balance of the budget.”
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
Fire protection services are costing too much — that is the message North Bend, Issaquah and Sammamish conveyed to its regional provider, Eastside Fire & Rescue.
At a June 9 EFR meeting, Fire Chief Lee Soptich said his staff was looking for any way to minimize cost increases for 2010. Read more
Hundreds turn out for Sammamish teen festival
June 23, 2009
By Lauren McLaughlin
Dark gray clouds loomed overhead most of the day, but that did not stop almost 500 teens from coming to the second annual Teen Fest June 19 at the Sammamish Commons.
“It’s really great. There’s music and free food,” said Jane Ronngren, Boys & Girls Club executive director. “It’s nice just to have a place for kids to go, there’s no place up here for kids just to go and hang out.”
From 1-5 p.m. there was a skating competition, the first competition in the 2009 BFC 123 Seattle Skateboard Contest Series.
Competitor James Starlin placed third in the sponsored division of the contest.
Starlin likes the freedom of skateboarding.
“It’s an art, there’s many ways to do everything,” said Starlin. “There’s no rules.”
BFC emcee Aaron Fox said he enjoyed the contest.
“As long as the BFC keeps going we’ll be back,” Fox said. “Hopefully for years and years to come.”
Kelsey and Kaitlyn Johns spent the afternoon checking out the skate competition.
“We heard about (Teen Fest) through school friends,” Kaitlyn said.
They said they thought the skateboarders were doing some cool tricks.
“The little ones were really cute,” Kelsey said. Both girls were excited to hear the bands that played in the later half of Teen Fest.
The music started at 5 p.m. and featured bands Bo Tree, With Honest Eyes, Ian Lowery, and If I Were a Gladiator. Headliner Blue Scholars closed out the event.
Scott Moore, one of the owners of Moore Brother’s Music suggested local bands for the Boys & Girls Club to feature at Teen Fest.
“The music is awesome,” Moore said. “I was very impressed with all of the bands.”
Moore also raffled off four 30-minute guitar lessons and a Samick guitar at Teen Fest.
“I’m impressed with the layout, there are pool tables, live music,” Moore said. “I don’t see a bored teen anywhere.”
Aside from the music, once teens entered the Commons there was free pizza, foosball tables, pop-A-shot, and pool tables to entertain the teens.
Boys & Girls Club teen director Andrew Heist said Teen Fest went really well.
“There’s more kids here earlier than there was last year,” Heist said.
“Seeing the kids hanging out and having fun is great,” Heist said.
Ronngren was pleased with Teen Fest.
“It’s a great idea,” Ronngren said. “Every year we intend to do this.”
City of Sammamish Recreation Coordinator Lynne Handlos would have liked to see a larger crowd but looks forward to Teen Fest in the years to come.
“Just by doing it year after year I think the word will get out and we’ll have a larger crowd,” Handlos said.
Intern Lauren McLaughlin can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 244 or samrev@isspress.com. To comment on this story visit www.sammamishreview.com
Dark gray clouds loomed overhead most of the day, but that did not stop almost 500 teens from coming to the second annual Teen Fest June 19 at the Sammamish Commons.
“It’s really great. There’s music and free food,” said Jane Ronngren, Boys & Girls Club executive director. “It’s nice just to have a place for kids to go, there’s no place up here for kids just to go and hang out.”
Alec Rhodes, 16, launches off his skateboard at the Sammamish Commons June 19. Photo by J.B. Wogan
Artists find their inspiration in recycled materials
June 23, 2009
By Lauren McLaughlin
When the arts commission was trying to decide about the next art exhibit at City Hall, they decided to find artists who use old stuff.
The exhibit, which opens June 24, features 44 artists who make their art out of recycled materials.
According to Carol Ross, a member of the commission, “Eco Art” is art made of materials that are recycled or otherwise repurposed.
Ross mentioned that some of the artwork used unusual canvases such as newspapers or cutting boards. Other artwork is made of recycled material; one person made bugs out of computer parts.
Ross has been to Eco Art exhibits before. She went to a few in Kirkland organized by Donna Lindeman Porter.
“I thought they were fantastic,” Ross said. Ross asked Lindeman Porter to help with Sammamish’s Eco Art exhibit.
“It’s an honor that they asked me,” Lindeman Porter said.
Lindeman Porter has curated many recycled art exhibits and said she looks forward to Sammamish’s Eco Art exhibit.
“I wanted to show the community international and national artists that use recycled materials,” Lindeman Porter said. “I also wanted to show local artists at this exhibit.”
The show will feature recycled art from galleries and local artists. Local artists Katya Palladina, Kurt Rodenhiser, and Sherry Pepke will be showing artwork at the exhibit.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Rodenhiser said.
“I’m really anxious to see what everyone has thought of,” Pepke said. “I think it will be very inspirational.”
Pepke was not the only one eager to see what ideas the other artists have come up with.
“I think it will be very inspiring to see all the other works and she what people have done with what would have been thrown out,” Rodenhiser said.
Palladina looks forward to seeing the community’s reaction to the exhibit.
“I’m curious to see what everyone will think of the exhibit,” Palladina said.
I’m sure the great ideas of the artists will move everyone forward,” Palladina said. “I see more people at the grocery stores with their reusable bags, I hope this will get more people to recycle and reuse things.”
Pepke said, recycling has become such a part of our lives and its really nice to see we can do something more with it.
The artists are not the only ones looking forward to seeing the imaginative art.
“What people’s imagination can do with things that would normally go into recycling bins is amazing,” Ross said. Every new entry she sees impresses her more than the last, she said.
“I love inventive minds that take trash and make it into something new and exciting,” Lindeman Porter said.
Sammamish Arts Committee Commissioner Deborah Akerstrom said the exhibit seems topical.
“I think the theme is very current,” Akerstrom said. “I think it’s an advantage to open on the market day.” Akerstrom said she hopes people attending the market will come in to see it.
“We even have some teens walking around the market to advertise,” Akerstrom said. She said the teens will be wearing at least one object made of recycled materials.
Eastlake senior Cynthia Johnston, one of those teens, said the outfits are a work in progress.
“We haven’t really decided what to do yet,” Johnston said. “But we have a ton of ideas for everyone.”
One idea Johnston had was to make a skirt out of old school papers.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Johnston said of volunteering to advertise for the Eco Art exhibit.
“People (at the market) are really friendly,” Johnston said. “I think they’ll enjoy it.”
The teenagers are not the only ones eager to display their recycled art.
“There’s one elementary school booth that’s selling wallets made out of Capri Sun wrappers,” Akerstrom said. “Right there gives me hope that there’s an interest in recycled art.”
Intern Lauren McLaughlin can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 244 or samrev@isspress.com. To comment on this story visit www.sammamishreview.com.
When the arts commission was trying to decide about the next art exhibit at City Hall, they decided to find artists who use old stuff.
The exhibit, which opens June 24, features 44 artists who make their art out of recycled materials.
According to Carol Ross, a member of the commission, “Eco Art” is art made of materials that are recycled or otherwise repurposed.
Kurt Rodenhiser made a dragon’s head from recycled wine bottles. Photo contributed
Who created the electric motorcycle?
June 23, 2009
By Lauren McLaughlin
Eastlake High School senior Jordan Brunner turns heads while cruising around town on his unusual motorcycle.
“It’s been pretty cool,” Brunner said. “When it goes by, people wonder what it is.”
For his senior project Brunner built a silent running electric motorcycle.
Brunner said he originally wanted to build an electric car for the project but it was simply too overwhelming.
He then decided on an electric motorcycle instead.
Brunner started doing research for the project in September and completed the motorcycle in mid-May.
The motorcycle can go up to 50 mph and charges overnight.
“The farthest I’ve gotten is about 27 miles,” Brunner said.
Brunner’s mother, Marianne Brunner, said she was not surprised that her son chose to build an electric motorcycle for his senior project.
“He was born to be an engineer,” Marianne said.
According to Marianne, Jordan started building things when he was eight years old.
“He was into robotics in middle school,” Marianne said.
“When he was younger it was a bit overwhelming to keep challenging him,” Marianne said. “But now I look forward to seeing what he can do.”
The teachers on his project panel, Sarah Walker and Elise Meilleur, were impressed by Jordan’s project.
“I thought it was awesome,” Walker said. “He really put a lot of work into (his motorcycle).”
Meilleur said when she first heard about his project she thought it sounded really exciting, but she was concerned about whether or not he would be able to finish it.
For the senior project the students are required to spend 60 hours on their project, but Jordan easily put in twice that on his, Walker said.
Jordan enjoys motor biking and engineering, so combining the two seemed like a good idea for the project, Jordan said.
Jordan’s favorite part about building his motorcycle was seeing the wheel first spin.
“It actually didn’t work when I first had it wired together,” Jordan said. After a few more tries Jordan did wire it together correctly.
“I hit the throttle and the wheel turned,” Jordan said. “The wheel turned backwards but it was still turning. It was great.”
Walker enjoyed watching Jordan debut his electric motorcycle.
“The look on his face was priceless,” Walker said. “He was so proud, so proud.”
“Hearing about it is one thing. Actually bringing it in was a whole different thing,” Jordan said.
Meilleur was eager to see the finished product.
“It was really exciting to see it in action after hearing about all the challenges he had to overcome for this project,” Meilleur said.
“My friends think it’s pretty cool. With the price of gas being so high they all want one,” Jordan said.
Jordan received a partial merit scholarship to Gonzaga University and will be attending there this fall.
He plans to major in mechanical engineering.
Intern Lauren McLaughlin can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 244 or samrev@isspress.com. To comment on this story visit www.sammamishreview.com
Eastlake High School senior Jordan Brunner turns heads while cruising around town on his unusual motorcycle.
“It’s been pretty cool,” Brunner said. “When it goes by, people wonder what it is.”
For his senior project Brunner built a silent running electric motorcycle.
Jordan Brunner prepares to ride the electric motorcycle he built. Contributed
Beaver Lake’s stars shine at 2nd annual Oscars night
June 23, 2009
By Christopher Huber
Beaver Lake Middle School eighth-grader Cody Hatfield makes a lot of movies. He and his friends often make videos for fun and post them on YouTube. But Hatfield also has a knack for acting, directing and editing movies in teacher David Clymer’s Advanced Video class.
His efforts paid off when he won the Steven Spielberg Award June 10 at the school’s second annual Oscars night.
“I thought it was pretty cool,” Hatfield said. “Everyone told me that they thought I should win it.”
The award went to Hatfield because, as a director and editor, he demonstrated skills that went above and beyond what Clymer taught in class. The Steven Spielberg Award was one of 13 categories highlighted at the event, which happened in the school’s library. Approximately 25 students gathered with friends and family members to view the year’s best productions from all four production groups.
“I was pleased with it. It really represented just the overall breadth and creativity they put into all their productions this year,” said Clymer after the awards event. “It’s really fun to see what comes out of the favorite ones. It’s not always what you think it’s going to be.”
The evening began with a screening of each group’s best production of the year. The groups, made up of five to seven students, produced three full-scale movies each trimester based on specific themes, such as “The Great Pie Heist,” or “The Babysitting Predicament,” Clymer said. The goal of the class is to give students experience working with storylines and visual media.
“In the final trimester, they really started to get the feel of pacing … and the acting started getting real good,” he said. “That’s what gets everybody interested in it. You really get some really talented kids.”
Each 10- to 12-minute film featured new skills and techniques they learned in class and starred a range of actors and actresses.
Seventh-grader McCall Kistler won best female actor June 10 based on her work as a character who was obsessed with mustard throughout her group’s movies.
“It felt really good,” Kistler said after the awards show. “I was surprised that I was the best female actor. I didn’t think it would be me.”
Having just completed her first year in the advanced video production class, Kistler said she appreciated doing something she and all her classmates thoroughly enjoyed.
“I think it’s really cool that (Mr. Clymer) did that because he let us show parents and friends what we did, and it was really cool and fun to see all the parents and how they enjoyed our videos,” Kistler said.
Hatfield, like many of the students in the sought after elective class, likes it for the sake of experimenting with new ideas and techniques. The advanced video class is the only one of its kind in the Sammamish area, according to Clymer and the Issaquah School District.
“I always thought it’s cool to make your own movies and seeing what the finished product is,” Hatfield said.
Although he taught 25 students in 2008-2009, Clymer said he already has 32 students signed up for next school year.
“At the middle school level, there’s nothing like it. They’re doing high-school-level work,” said Clymer. “It’s the kind of class I wish would’ve been around when I was in school.”
Beaver Lake Middle School eighth-grader Cody Hatfield makes a lot of movies. He and his friends often make videos for fun and post them on YouTube. But Hatfield also has a knack for acting, directing and editing movies in teacher David Clymer’s Advanced Video class.
His efforts paid off when he won the Steven Spielberg Award June 10 at the school’s second annual Oscars night.
Jaden Mongauzy acknowledges the crowd as teammates Michael Butler, left, and Tanner Laine accept the award for best use of sound effects June 10 at the BLMS Oscars night. Photo by Christopher Huber
Local lacrosse comes up big at Battle of Bothell
June 23, 2009
By Christopher Huber
They didn’t have it in the bag, but going into last weekend’s Battle of Bothell, the Issaquah Silver fifth- and sixth-grade lacrosse team was confident about its chances of winning the tournament championship.
The boys, some from Sammamish, some from Issaquah, had won it in 2008 and looked to capitalize on its player experience and disciplined conditioning.
They did, and after easily winning the first few rounds on the waterlogged North Creek playfields, Issaquah Silver out-shot and out hustled Beaverton, Ore. in a 7-3 championship victory.
“In the early rounds it was pretty easy, but it started getting a little harder. In the championship round it was pretty tough,” said standout 5/6 attackman Jordan Greenhall. “Beaverton, they had a couple of really strong middies that were really good.”
The annual Battle of Bothell tournament featured 62 teams from around the Northwest, including dozens of local teams and some from Oregon and Canada, with players ranging in age from fifth- to eleventh-grade.
Parents and players gathered at the North Creek Playfields June 19-21 to enjoy a weekend of lacrosse.
In the end, the teams had played 107 games combined, said tournament coordinator Stan Kosick. It was the first year Battle of Bothell had rain.
“We started out real strong,” said Silver 5/6 coach Scott Johnston. “We dominated ground balls and we dominated faceoffs, which was the main thing.”
Greenhall said his team got out to an early 3-0 lead and bolstered it with three more before halftime. They led 6-2 at the break. Sam Britt held strong in the goal in the second half.
“Sam played really well,” Greenhall said. “He made lots of saves.”
But, as it had throughout the day June 21, the weather intervened and forced an early decision. Issaquah became the repeat Battle of Bothell 5/6 champions, winning 7-3 on account of lightning.
“It was just really fun and exciting to win again,” Greenhall said.
He scored one goal and had two assists and four ground balls in the final match. Teammate Tyler Johnston had a game-high three goals with two assists and two ground balls.
“The tournament’s a blast,” Johnston said. “These kids all worked hard and they deserved it. The one thing our kids were is well conditioned kids.”
The Issaquah High School Purple crew managed to win its way to the final in Bothell, but lost 6-3 to annual powerhouse Lake Oswego, Ore. The game got a late start due to thunder and lightning storms.
“Part of it was we came out pretty flat and we just couldn’t finish,” said midfielder Nate Bean. “They reset well. “(We) didn’t move the ball quick enough and they recovered really well.”
Although the high schoolers didn’t repeat a Battle-of-Bothell win in 2009, Bean said it was still nice to play in the final. Being a post-season, mostly for-fun tournament, there was less pressure to win.
“Whenever you get to the top of anything it’s always nice. It was thrilling, but I want to call it fun,” Bean said. “I think it’s such a big deal because it’s a summer kickoff.”
The Issaquah Youth Lacrosse league fielded other teams as well, including the 7/8 purple, gold and green teams. The Eastlake and Sammamish lacrosse leagues also fielded teams.
“It’s a great tournament, I think because you get to play against other teams from Oregon and teams from around Seattle. It’s pretty fun,” said eighth-grader Nick Mauzy after the tournament. “It’s great that they can get all the teams to come down here.”
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.sammamishreview.com.
They didn’t have it in the bag, but going into last weekend’s Battle of Bothell, the Issaquah Silver fifth- and sixth-grade lacrosse team was confident about its chances of winning the tournament championship.
The boys, some from Sammamish, some from Issaquah, had won it in 2008 and looked to capitalize on its player experience and disciplined conditioning.
Issaquah 5/6 Silver standout attackman Jordan Greenhall sets to fire a scoring shot against Maple Valley. Photo courtesy Charles Mauzy/IYL
Eastlake graduate makes his major league debut
June 23, 2009
By Christopher Huber
Before each road game, St. Louis Cardinals’ rookie pitcher Blake Hawksworth has to wear a pink Hello Kitty backpack as he crosses the field from the clubhouse to the bullpen.
He fills it with water and Red Bull drinks for the relievers during the game. But he gets some stares from people in the stands.
“You get some comments from the crowd,” Hawksworth said about the long stroll to the bullpen. “It’s a rookie initiation type deal. You don’t put up a fight and you just do it.”
As the newest addition to the Cardinals’ active roster, Hawksworth, a 2001 Eastlake graduate, has to put up with some new-guy initiation antics while settling into the team’s ranks.
Not only does he have to wear the bright backpack in front of the opposing team’s fans, he fulfills other clubhouse chores that veterans once handled.
Hawksworth made his major league debut for the Cards June 6 at home against the Colorado Rockies.
The 6’3” right-hander faced Colorado’s power-hitting all-star Todd Helton as his first batter, which he thought was cool and nerve-wracking at the same time.
“My first game, it was nerve-wracking. When the phone rings and you start warming up, you start to mentally prepare and breathe. The fans have never really bothered me. It’s just the atmosphere at Busch,” he said of performing in a venue as grand as Busch Stadium. “That was great. To come in and throw strikes, it was a lot of fun.”
He forced Helton into a ground out.
Hawksworth’s debut was a rough one. He pitched two innings, with one strikeout and one walk, but allowed four runs on three hits, including a home run off the bat of Clint Barmes.
Drafted by the Cardinals organization out of high school in 2001, he’s waited seven years for the chance to pitch in the majors and is reveling in the opportunity.
“It’s an exciting time for me and my family. It’s taken a little longer than I first anticipated, but … looking back I definitely wouldn’t have changed a thing,” Hawksworth said. “To go through that struggle was good for me.”
He’s battled some nagging injuries in the past few years, but now is as healthy as ever and confident about his game.
Knee and shoulder problems hampered what some scouts considered would have been an earlier rise to the top for Hawksworth, according to MLB.com.
After a year with Bellevue Community College, he officially signed with the Cardinals in 2002.
“This year has been by far my healthiest year since 2006, overall,” he said. “My health, Lord willing, is not an issue. So now it’s just remaining confident and maintaining that belief in yourself.”
Despite enduring the necessary initiation period, Hawksworth said he has found himself mostly at home with the young team.
He played ball with numerous Cardinals teammates while at Triple-A Memphis.
“I haven’t been here that long, but it feels like I’ve been here for a while because I’ve settled in,” Hawksworth said. “I was able to walk in the clubhouse and I know a lot of these guys personally off the field.”
They play the game the same, he said, but he noticed great differences between the minors and the majors in other aspects.
“Just the way they take care of you, everything is just pretty much better, from the field to the uniforms to the food to the accommodations, just down the line,” he said. “People say there’s nowhere else to play but the big leagues.”
While at Triple-A Memphis in 2009, Hawksworth went 5-4 with a 3.92 ERA and 51 strikeouts, according to Memphis Redbirds statistics.
He was a Midwest League All-Star in 2003. In 2006 he was a Florida State League All-Star and also received the Pitcher of the Year award from the Cardinals organization.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to be in the big leagues. But I feel extremely blessed to be on this platform, just to be able to give more,” Hawksworth said.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.sammamishreview.com.
Before each road game, St. Louis Cardinals’ rookie pitcher Blake Hawksworth has to wear a pink Hello Kitty backpack as he crosses the field from the clubhouse to the bullpen.
He fills it with water and Red Bull drinks for the relievers during the game. But he gets some stares from people in the stands.
Blake Hawksworth delivers a pitch during a spring training game against Florida. Contributed
