Eastside Catholic students learn about suffering
March 31, 2011
New: March 31, 2:19 p.m.
As students filtered through the lunch line at Eastside Catholic School March 29, they received a paper ticket with a 1, 2 or 3 on it. Depending on their number, they got either a plate full of spaghetti and salad, a cup of noodles with a roll or a single scoop of rice. At one point, servers ran out of noodles and could only serve a single roll to stragglers.
One student, when presented with only a roll on a paper towel, tried to negotiate for the one of the remaining plates of spaghetti and salad on another table.
Matt Callans places a completed food bag in a box for HopeLink during Eastside Catholic’s annual Peace and Justice Day March 29. Photo by Christopher Huber
Sammamish prepares for electric cars
March 30, 2011
New: March 30, 10:20 a.m.
With electric vehicles poised to go from theory to reality, Sammamish has passed some regulations that will allow charging stations to be installed around the city.
At their March 21 meeting the City Council approved regulations that largely take a hands-off approach to the matter, essentially leaving most of the decisions on charging stations to property owners. The new code does not require commercial developments to install the chargers and property owners are allowed to decide where a charger will go, when it will be open to the public and whether to charge for the electricity it uses. Read more
Plateau woman tells of Japan earthquake
March 29, 2011
Phyllis Campbell was on a bus heading to a meeting in Tokyo March 11 when the huge earthquake struck. Although it was hundreds of miles away and out to sea, the earth, and the bus, shook as terrified people ran out of the hotel where the meeting was set to happen.
“They said it was a four-minute earthquake. It felt like it was 20,” Campbell said.
Susan Morita (left), Susan Muranishi and Phyllis Campbell took time to tour Kyoto during thier trip to Japan. Contributed
Sammamish City Council discusses sustainability
March 29, 2011
Sammamish’s sustainability strategy throws everything at the wall in hopes of reducing the city’s footprint on the earth. In the coming months, it will be up to city leaders to see what sticks.
At a March 21 joint meeting, the City Council and Planning Commission got their first look at a 40-page document that takes stock of the city’s current sustainability efforts, reflects citizen’s priorities for the city, introduces goals for the future and proposes policies to reach those goals. Read more
Sustainability will be challenging
March 29, 2011
Sammamish has its work cut out for it if it hopes to be a more sustainable community. The good news is that city leaders are trying. It’s time for citizens to step up.
The sustainability report, which came back to city leaders last week, aims high. It includes some difficult, but achievable goals for increasing sustainability.
Most focus on things city employees can do to help. The city has a goal of reducing its water usage, for example, or keeping reusable bags around for use by city employees. Promoting local business is another valuable idea that can both help the local economy, and reduce carbon emissions from people driving to other cities to shop. Read more
Sammamish Forum March 31
March 29, 2011
Protect water quality
Before the Sammamish Plateau was put into the urban growth boundary, King County spent millions of dollars studying the environmental conditions and created the Sammamish Basin Plan.
This was to guide growth and development to limit the impacts to our streams, wetlands and lakes, especially Lake Sammamish.
The 1998 storm water manual was adopted at the same time, having been developed through scientific monitoring and extensive research on the impacts of storm water in urbanizing environments; research that was conducted in some of our area streams and wetlands. Read more
Apply to represent community on county boards
March 29, 2011
Sammamish residents can apply to represent King County Council District 3 on county advisory boards.
County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert, the District 3 representative, urged people to apply for open seats on the Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Administrative Board, Mental Health Advisory Board and Women’s Advisory Board.
The alcohol and substance abuse panel recommends policies and programs related to prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.
The mental health board focuses on the access and quality of mental health services in the county.
The women’s group makes recommendations to the county executive and council to ensure the county meets the needs and rights of women.
Interested people should contact Grace Reamer at 206-296-0331 or grace.reamer@kingcounty.gov.
Zoning change allows professional offices
March 29, 2011
Lawyers, accountants, real estate agents and other professionals running a business out of their home can continue their work in select areas without running afoul of city code.
At their March 21 meeting, the Sammamish City Council approved a series of changes to their zoning regulations governing professional office use in residential areas. Read more
Police Blotter March 31
March 29, 2011
Vehicle prowl
A Redmond woman had her purse stolen from her car as she dropped her child off for preschool March 15.
The victim parked in the Good Samaritan Episcopal Church parking lot at around 9 a.m. and walked her child into school.
When she returned five minutes later her passenger door was open and her purse was gone. Several credit and debit cards, an Amazon Kindle and $60 were taken in the theft. Police have no suspects. Read more
Black belt demonstrates focus and drive can conquer autism
March 29, 2011
During his Tae Kwon Do black belt ceremony in January, Matthew Ahn broke every board with one kick or one punch, he said.
A fourth-grader at Margaret Mead Elementary, Matthew had spent the previous three years setting frequent smaller goals and reaching them.
This was a big one. Most Tae Kwon Do students never achieve black belt rank.
Matthew Ahn, a fourth-grader at Mead Elementary School, demonstrates a kick on the mats at Hwang’s Tae Kwon Do. Photo by Christopher Huber
