Scoreboard December 21
December 21, 2011
Boys basketball
KingCo 4A Standings
Team Conference Overall
Crest Read more
County offers tips to turn holidays ‘green’
December 21, 2011
King County is encouraging revelers to turn the holiday season red and “green.”
The county Solid Waste Division launched the Green Holidays campaign at www.kcgreenholidays.com to educate consumers about how to cut waste, save energy and support the local economy during the holiday season. Read more
Toys and food pile in for local families
December 20, 2011
New: Dec. 20, 3:03 p.m.
What’s not to love about climbing onto a fire truck and seeing your principal dressed up as Frosty the Snowman?
Hundreds of Discovery Elementary School students and their families filled the traveling reindeer fire truck to capacity with toys Dec. 16.
A steady stream of children poured out of the school onto the back playground for more than three hours on the last day before winter break, as they handed off toys for fellow youths they don’t know.
Daniel Martinez-Otto, of Sammamish, poses with volunteer firefighters Michele Julum, left, and Emily Harig, and Frosty the Snowman (principal Tera Coyle) after giving a toy to Hopelink at Discovery Elementary School Dec. 16. Photo by Christopher Huber
2011 Sammamish Christmas lights tour
December 19, 2011
City Council doesn’t like the idea of traffic cameras
December 19, 2011
New: Dec. 19, 2:48 p.m.
Sammamish motorists won’t have to worry about red light or speeding cameras anytime in the near future, at least not in the city limits.
At a Dec. 13 City Council study session, Sammamish Police Chief Nate Elledge recommended against installing the cameras in the city, citing their potential costs, the impersonal approach to police work and a skeptical public.
“My recommendation is that we don’t move forward with this,” Elledge told the council. “I’m saying that because right now they’re very controversial – there’s this perception in the public that they’re being used to collect revenue rather to increase traffic safety.” Read more
Rep. Larry Springer honored
December 18, 2011
New: Dec. 18, 4:18 p.m.
Larry Springer, a Democratic state representative for the 45th District, was named legislator of the year by the Washington chapter of the American Planning Association.
The APA, an urban planning and smart growth organization, cited Springer’s “understanding of and commitment to the principles of good planning,” as well as his contributions to several planning-related bills that passed this year, including:
- House bill 1953, which give cities more leeway in using real estate excise tax for operating expenses.
- Senate bill 5505, which allows cities to use U.S. census data when annexing an area rather than doing their own census.
- Senate bill 5253, which encourages the use of transfer of development rights programs to preserve rural and forested lands.
- House bill 1811, which improves services for the homeless.
Heritage Society nears fundraising goal for Reard/Freed House
December 17, 2011
New: Dec. 17, 11:18 a.m.
The Sammamish Heritage Society is closing in on its financial goal for relocating the Reard/Freed House.
Ella Moore, the society’s president, announced Dec. 13 that the group had received a $28,850 grant from 4Culture, King County’s arts and heritage agency. That puts their fundraising total at just over $65,000, within striking distance of the $71,000 they need to get the home moved and placed on a new foundation on the Pigott property next spring.
At a Nov. 14 meeting, the City Council approved leasing the home to the society and allowing it to be placed on the Pigott property. The society and parks department plan on remodeling the home and converting it into some sort of heritage-themed facility. Read more
Sammamish neighborhoods unlikely to change school districts
December 16, 2011
New: Dec. 16, 2:47 p.m.
The outlook is not favorable for residents for a handful of Sammamish neighborhoods who want their children to attend the Lake Washington School District, instead of the Snoqualmie Valley School District.
At its meeting Dec. 15, the Snoqualmie Valley School Board voted to oppose the transfer. The residents, who filed a petition in September to change districts, now wait on the Lake Washington School Board, which will make a decision Jan. 9.
The Lake Washington board weighed its options during its special meeting Dec. 12. Read more
Sammamish housing market picking up
December 14, 2011
Though the housing bubble continues its prolonged burst throughout King County, Sammamish remains a bit of an outlier.
The median price of homes sold in the city has remained relatively stable over the last year, even as foreclosures, short sales and an uncertain economy continue to drag down prices around the rest of the county. Read more
Shorter school year saves, makes sense
December 13, 2011
Gov. Chris Gregoire has floated a couple of ideas to deal with the state’s budget crisis. One of those is a half-penny-per-dollar increase to the sales tax, to go before voters in March. First, legislators would have to approve the ballot measure. The new revenue would be targeted for education.
Another idea to help local school districts deal with looming budget cuts would be for the state to reduce the required number of school days per year. We like the idea, although we acknowledge that it would be a burden for working parents who have to pay for more child care — or would it? Read more
