Unknown men tried to lure a local fifth-grader into a truck about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, Issaquah School District officials said.

The student was walking home from Discovery Elementary when a truck approached him on Southeast 20th Street just west of 228th Avenue Southeast on the Sammamish Plateau, said Sara Niegowski, district executive director of communications.

Two men inside the truck reportedly waved to the student, pulled the vehicle over and then allegedly motioned for the student to come closer, Niegowski said in a press release.

When the student walked away, the truck reportedly began to follow. When the student pulled out a cellphone, the truck drove away. The student immediately returned to school and informed staff members, according to Niegowski.

The student described the vehicle as an off-while landscaping truck with a tool rack with shovels and rakes in the back. The passengers were described as about 30, white, with no facial hair. The passenger was reportedly wearing a plaid shirt. Police ask that if you have any information, call 206-296-3311.

In the wake of the alleged incident, the school district released the following list of safety tips for students:

• Never talk to strangers.
• Never let a stranger get too close, whether the stranger is in a vehicle or walking.
• Never tell a stranger any personal information such as name, age or address.
• Try to walk in pairs with a friend or adult.
• Stick to safe, well-lit areas.
• Do not obstruct hearing with iPods or portable music players when walking or waiting outside.
• If a stranger tries to grab you, yell as loudly as you can and run away.
• Immediately alert an adult if you are approached by a suspicious person.

Sammamish employees – particularly new hires – are generally underpaid compared to their peers in neighboring cities.

That’s the verdict of a salary survey presented to the City Council at their annual retreat at Suncadia Resort Jan. 27.

Deputy City Manager Lyman Howard said in an interview the lagging salaries for new employees are by design. The city contracted with a consulting firm to look at employee wages in 2007 and elected to set up a system where new hires start at slightly below-market wages but see their pay steadily rise as they move up the “step” system – 4 percent raises that are awarded based on adequate job performance.

The council decided that employees who stick with the city should be rewarded with higher-than-average salaries at the highest end of the salary ladder. The council hoped the prospect of higher-than-average pay would help retain good employees and create some continuity in City Hall.

“Longevity plays a huge role in an organization like this,” Administrative Services Director Mike Sauerwein said of city government. “Having institutional knowledge is key.”

Prior to 2007, Sauerwein said the city was losing close to 20 percent of its employees a year – often due to the long commute to get to City Hall. Employees who lived in Seattle often went to Mercer Island or Shoreline. Sauerwein said the pay structure might have contributed to less employee turnover in recent years, though the tough economy likely played a large role as well.

But in many cases Sammamish’s “low on the bottom, high on the top” pay structure has not kept pace with wages in surrounding cities. The salary survey looked at wages in Auburn, Bothell, Edmonds, Issaquah, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Olympia, Redmond, Renton and Shoreline.

An entry-level city clerk in Sammamish starts at about $66,000, compared to a bit more than $75,000 in surrounding cities and maxes out at around $90,000, compared to an average of $94,500 in similar cities.

The situation is similar for senior planners, who handle land use and development applications. In Sammamish, they start out at a bit under $62,000 compared to an average of $70,000. They can top out at $84,500 compared to $85,700 at the average neighboring city.

Sammamish’s Public Works Director starts out at $104,500, significantly less than the $118,500 average in neighboring cities. They top out at $143,200, just under the $144,800 average in neighboring cities.

The outlier in the survey is Sammamish’s public works and parks maintenance workers, who start out at $47,500 – right around the average of $47,900. They also max out at $65,000, quite a bit above the $59,500 average.

Councilman Ramiro Valderrama, who during his campaign was vocal in his calls for slowing the growth of the city’s personnel costs, said he was more concerned with making sure year-to-year across-the-board wage increases are kept in check. City employees have traditionally had their wages tied to the city’s cost of living indicators – that led to a 3.2 percent wage increase in 2012, though it also meant a half of a percentage point pay cut in 2011.

Valderrama said the 3.2 percent cost of living increase was an “aberration” and not fair given the tough economic times taxpayers are in. He pointed to the example of unionized employees at the city of Redmond and Eastside Fire & Rescue, which both saw a 2 percent wage increase for 2012.

Valderrama said he hopes the city would consider moving to a more stable model for wage increases that would prevent “valleys and peaks” from year to year. He suggested negotiating a set amount and giving employees that or 80 percent of any increase in cost of living, whichever is smaller.

“Citizens aren’t getting a 3.2 percent raise.” Valderrama said. “Taxpayers aren’t going to care about the valleys during an economic downturn, but when the peaks come around they will.”

Though there was some variance between Sammamish’s pay and the regional average, Councilman Tom Vance said he was pleased to that the city was fairly close to the average. He noted that each city operates differently and the responsibilities of similar positions in each city don’t always line up.

Vance noted that Sammamish still has a relatively small staff for a city of 45,000 because it contracts out many projects instead of having full-time employees on hand to do them.

City analysis presented at the retreat shows that Sammamish has 1.5 full-time employees per 1,000 residents compared to an average of 4.9 for Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland and Mercer Island.

“We contract out a lot of what we do,” Vance said. “So we end up with a professional core … of qualified, educated staff.”

Howard said that come budget time the council will also be looking at employee health benefits and how much of an employee’s medical costs should come out of pocket.

He said initial analysis by the city shows that Sammamish covers a bit more of their employees’ medical costs than other cities.

Howard said it’s a balancing act for the council, which must keep wages and benefits in check while ensuring that qualified employees don’t move to cushier jobs in neighboring cities.

“We want to be fair to our employees, but we also need to be fair to the taxpayers,” Howard said. “(The council) has to find that sweet spot.”

Reporter Caleb Heeringa can be reached at 392-6434. ext. 247, or cheeringa@isspress.com.

The fair will feature more than 50 health care professionals.

They will offer a number of free health screenings including blood pressure, bone density, cholesterol, blood sugar, eye pressure, body composition, and spinal/posture.

There will be many gifts from the various vendors, and My I.D. Club will offer free fingerprinting of children.

The Issaquah Citizen Corps and Eastside Fire & Rescue will offer information about emergency planning.

Specialists will be on hand to discuss everything from care for Alzheimer patients to braces for the children.

Ask questions about personal training, driving lessons and prescription services.

Learn the difference between retirement living and assisted living, and how long-term health insurance can help.

Have a quick chair massage and have your child’s car seat checked for safety.

Pickering Barn is located across from Costco, south of I-90.

In the state senate, Cheryl Pflug, Andy Hill and Steve Litzow each supported the measure to allow a basic civil right to be extended to all of Washington’s citizens.

Pflug and Hill represent Sammamish right now. In the fall, after redistricting, Hill and Litzow will speak for Sammamish in the senate.

The three Republicans bucked their party to support the measure, showing a much-needed independent streak that matches their constituency.

The state house is likely to vote on the bill this week and it is expected to pass.

We have every reason to believe Sammamish house representatives will follow suit in support of equal rights for all.

The outpouring of grief in the wake of Chapin’s death is heartfelt and true. Within days of his death, thousands had signed up on a Facebook page dedicated to him.

The notes and remembrances left on that page were poignant, emotional and beautiful.

Chapin instinctively knew how to work with adolescents. He knew when to joke with them and when to be serious.

Even though he was wearing a police uniform, his antics and personality made him approachable, even by teens.

His death will be felt not only by Eastlake and Inglewood students, but by everyone in the community — even if they don’t know it yet.

As a resident of the Cheswick Lane Condominium community, I’d like to thank the Sammamish Review for reporting on the proposed extension of 233rd Ave. Northeast.

What I would like to understand is why this article was the first I had heard of the project.

The city has not posted any signage in the area as they do with other infrastructure projects.

This project does not appear in the city’s 2012-2017 six-year transportation improvement program document.

Sammamish’s website also has a list of projects that fly out of a menu along the left hand side. This fails to mention 233rd Ave. Northeast In fact, that flyout still lists the East Lake Sammamish Parkway and 244th Ave. Northeast bridge projects prominently, both of which were completed over a year ago.

I understand the need for this project and I am not opposed to it in principle even though as an adjacent property owner with no children, I will have to learn to live with the increased traffic along Northeast Eighth Street while receiving little to no tangible benefit.

However, I find the city’s mechanisms for informing affected residents and gathering their feedback to be woefully inadequate.

Michael Sullivan

Sammamish

Good job planners

I attended my first meeting of the Sammamish Planning Commission last night to voice my concerns about the regulations for home businesses.

I have run a business from my home for 26 years now and have concerns about how the new regulations will affect me.

I would like to express a thank you to the members of the commission for their willingness to listen to the home business community, while setting forth regulations that will encourage home businesses and protect the effect of home businesses on their neighbors.

I would like to say thank you especially to Evan Maxim for the work he has done and his assistance and communication to keep me informed of not only the meeting but also the regulation changes.

It is always easy for the community to voice their complaints when they feel the commission or the City Council are not doing what they feel they should.

I feel it is important to voice our appreciation for their hard work and time they spend looking out for interests of the community even if we don’t always agree.

I am now looking forward to attending the City Council meeting when they are making their final decisions in regards to the regulations.

I am expecting that the home business community will once again be allowed to voice any concerns they may have in regards to any changes.

Claudia Haunreiter

Sammamish

Yes, she was right

Kudos to Christine Huff for her suggestion that our political discourse could use more civility and a focus on constructive solutions to the challenges we face, rather than childish and counter-productive name-calling.

Rob Gunther

Sammamish

Thank you,

Mary Pigott

After a taking my 4-year-old daughter with me for boring errands, I decided to take a quick stop to see where the new City of Sammamish park was located.

After seeing an inviting trail, we couldn’t help but get out to see where the trail led us.

What a wonderful surprise to find such an enchanting piece of property.

We encountered a meandering creek, zig zag forest trails, little bridges, picnic tables and a giant rock to climb.

My daughter was in her own happy forest fairy-tale land. What a wonderful place to go for kids of all ages.

I know we will be spending many afternoons playing in that forest and running on the trails.

How refreshing and generous for Mary Pigott to donate this piece of land to be enjoyed by all instead of selling off acres and creating the endless row of houses.

Melissa Heye

Sammmamish

I’m not compelled

In response to Michael J. O’Connell, I don’t see how religious groups can “force their will on others via the political process.”

No group, religious or otherwise, makes me vote for a particular person or issue but they are free according to the Constitution to try to influence my vote.

Just because ideas have religious roots does not mean they should be excluded from the political discussion.

Marilyn Wilke

Sammamish

A Sammamish resident found a bag containing mail belonging to several neighbors on the 1600 block of 219th Place Northeast Jan. 29. Police returned the mail to its rightful owners.

Police are unsure to whom the green satchel bag belongs but believe it may have something to do with mail theft in the neighborhood.

Domestic violence

A 40-year-old Sammamish woman was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence after an altercation with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend Jan. 29. Police responded to the ex-husband’s home after a report of a fight.

As police were interviewing the man and his girlfriend, the ex-wife returned to the scene at a high rate of speed.

The woman admitted that she had punched both her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Police will be forwarding the case to prosecutors with the recommendation that the woman be charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault.

Vandalism

A resident on the 2800 block of 234th Place Southeast reported that someone had thrown a rock through the back window of their car overnight Jan. 25.

Police also found a “purple-painted glittered triangular rock with a smirking smile face … and press-on google eyes,” according to the police report.

The resident believes one of his son’s classmates may be responsible. The case remains under investigation.

Metal theft

caught on camera

A resident on the 2700 block of 204th Lane Northeast reported that someone had stolen a yard lamp from his home at around 3 a.m. Jan. 25.

The resident also showed police surveillance footage that shows a newer-model brown or dark tan single cab truck with the tail gate down parked in front of the home.

A passenger is then seen to jump out and walk up to the house and return to the truck with the yard light. The area has seen similar yard lights stolen in recent months, likely for the value of the copper inside.

The video footage is too dark to accurately determine the suspects or what kind of vehicle they were driving. The case remains under investigation.

Suspicious vehicle

A resident on the 20600 block of Northeast 25th Court reported Jan. 25 a suspicious vehicle that had repeatedly been seen in his neighborhood in the early morning hours in recent months. The resident reported that the black Honda Accord had once followed his wife as she left for work.

The man told police that he had recently confronted the driver, who would not offer a good explanation for his presence in the neighborhood. Police ran the license plate of the vehicle but the registered owner, a Renton resident, did not have a criminal background.

Police took note of the incident and will be keeping an eye out for the vehicle in the future.

Suspended license

Police cited a 45-year-old Sammamish man for driving with a suspended license and not having valid insurance after the driver collided with another vehicle near the corner of Northeast Inglewood Hill Road and East Lake Sammamish Parkway Jan. 23.

The man’s license had been suspended for an unpaid ticket. No one was injured in the wreck.

Stolen guns

A resident on the 1000 block of 227th Avenue Northeast reported that two rifles had been stolen from his home between Dec. 29 and Jan. 23.

The guns, a Marlin 22 millimeter rifle and a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, had been stored in a bedroom closet.

The resident recalls placing the weapons in the closet Dec. 29. The home had been left unoccupied from Jan. 19 through Jan. 21 due to the power outages. A back door to the home had been left unlocked during this period, though no other items of value were missing from the home. The case remains under investigation.

Possible voter fraud

A Sammamish resident reported Jan. 22 that someone had registered to vote in his name. The resident, who has a green card and is not eligible to vote, received notice in the mail from King County that he had recently been registered. The case remains under investigation.

Snow day

A 20-year-old Sammamish resident or his parents will be covering the cost of repairing damage to a field in Deerfield Park after the resident used his truck to do “donuts” Jan. 18. Police responded and found the truck stuck in the middle of the field, which was muddy from the rapidly melting snow.

The resident admitted to driving into the field, which is owned by the Deerfield Homeowners Association, causing about 45 feet worth of torn-up grass and mud. Police contacted the resident’s parents, who agreed to cover the repair costs.

Suspended license

A 30-year-old Issaquah resident was cited for driving with a suspended license after being pulled over for driving 53 mph in a 35 zone on the 4900 block of Issaquah-Pine Lake Road the evening of Jan. 28. The driver’s license had been suspended for unpaid tickets. His brother was called to retrieve the man and his vehicle.

Protection order

Police stood by Jan. 28 as a Burien man retrieved personal belongings from a Sammamish woman who had recently gotten a protection order against him. The woman told police that she had gotten the no-contact order after the man spent about a week at her house because of the snow.

During that time, the man had begun believing that he and the woman would be getting married and having kids. This unsettled the woman, since she had not seen the man since high school, about 15 years prior. Among the items the man needed to retrieve was a shotgun, which police unloaded and gave to the man. The man was served with the no-contact order and agreed not to interact with the woman.

Expired pot license

Police disposed of about three grams of marijuana that had been found in possession of a Bellevue man who had been pulled over on the 800 block of East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast Jan. 26. The man had a medical marijuana license, but it had expired in November, so police took possession of his stash.

Mental health issue

Police contacted a Sammamish woman who had driven over a planting strip on the 3300 block of Issaquah-Pine Lake Road Jan. 26. The collision did damage to the underside of the woman’s car, which was leaking transmission fluid.

The woman, who was visibly shaken and was exhibiting signs of mental health issues, told the officer that she was being followed and that her vehicle was bugged with listening devices. An aid unit responded and determined that the woman did not have any life-threatening injuries.

Police attempted to contact the woman’s family, but the woman would not give them contact information. Police let her go on her way but contacted King County Mental Health Services and advised they make a visit to the woman’s home.

Driving is a privilege

A 16-year-old Sammamish teen may not be driving for a while after police pulled him over for driving upwards of 70 mph in a 35 zone Jan. 25. The teen was stopped on the 23500 block of Southeast 24th Street at around 6:40 p.m.

The officer informed the teen that he could be arrested for reckless driving and then told him to contact one of his parents. His mother responded to the scene and was advised of her son’s driving. The officer discussed alternative punishment options for the teen, who is an honor student and had otherwise not been in trouble before. The mother told the officer that her son would be re-attending a driver’s education class and would be paying for the class himself.

The teen would not be allowed to drive except to go to the class. The officer agreed and advised the teen and his mother that if he failed to complete the class for the second time, the teen would be charged with reckless driving.

Items in the Police Blotter come from Sammamish Police reports.

“Her cancer was found very late, and she died very quickly,” Cope said.

Then a next-door neighbor in Sammamish’s The Crest neighborhood was also diagnosed, and she died a few months ago, Cope said.

Finally, a different aunt, also named Mary, was also diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. Although she has won her battle with cancer, Cope and her sisters Jackie Immel and Jessica Shane were overwhelmed.

“We were like, what is going on here,” said Cope.

After that third time, it was enough. The three of them decided to do something about it.

They wanted some fun and innnformative, so, their thoughts turned toward sponsoring an 80s themed bar crawl in Bellevue.

The event will benefit the Seattle-based Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research.

The idea was not only to raise money for the center, but also to increase awareness of ovarian cancer.

“We wanted to get younger people involved,” said Cope.

The Rivkin center is one of the top private funders for ovarian cancer research, said Gaynor Hills, director of development for the center. She said they fund research projects and researchers nationally and internationally.

The center is also used to fund these non-traditional projects. Hills said they have a donor who raises money on national pie day and others who own a race horse and donate a portion of the horse’s winnings. She was grateful for donors like Cope and her sisters, who enable the center to fund its research projects.

“We have incredibly creative donors,” she said.

Ovarian cancer particularly impacts older women, past child bearing age, since they typically stop having pelvic exams, Cope said. Cope said is sometimes called a silent killer because it is often mis-diagnosed in its early stages.

In order to combat what Cope called a lack of knowledge about the disease, the sisters concocted the “Totally Teal Toast” which will take revelers through five Bellevue bars Feb. 18.

Cope said they are encouraging participants to dress in their favorite 80’s outfits, and will hold a contest for the best costume.

The day will kick off at Lot No. 3 at 12:30 p.m., Cope said, and finish up at Lucky Strike. Participants will need to figure out their own transportation to get home after a day of drinking.

The event will cost revelers $60.

The fee includes a ticket for a drink at each of the five bars, a fanny pack (in keeping with the 80s theme) and other goodies.

Get involved

To register for the Totally Teal Toast bar crawl, visit totallytealtoast.com.

For more information on the Marsha Rivkin Center or ovarian cancer, visit www.marsharivkin.org.

Symptoms

Early symptoms of ovarian cancer can include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).

These symptoms can also be caused by less serious conditions. If these feelings are new, and persist for two-three weeks, consult a doctor.

Source: Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research

Reach Editor Ari Cetron at 392-6434, ext. 233, or samrev@isspress.com.

The children would select an inspirational quote from people such as Virgil, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, or Walt Disney.

“Choose what inspires you,” Widner told them.

The sixth grade class preparing for their next art project, papier mache masks. Photo by David Rollins

Next, the children wrote down the quotes on cards with calligraphy pens, and decorated the cards with jewels, markers, and colored paper. Then, instead of taking them home, the cards were left around town for anyone to find.

“It was fun,” Briley Olson, Austin Oh, and Katherine Bo, all students in the class, said in unison.

Widner’s motivation for the project came from some recent family matters. Her brother-in-law, Steve, who had been battling depression, suddenly disappeared. His car was discovered parked and left on the side of a bridge, with Steve nowhere to be found.

“We just kept thinking of alternatives, maybe he got out of his car and started walking,” Widner said. She and her family continued to come up with other outcomes.

“I began to think; maybe he was in a coffee shop somewhere in need of a few kind words from a stranger,” she said. Steve’s body was discovered three days after his disappearance, down river from the bridge.

Widner didn’t reveal her brother-in-law’s story when she introduced the project to the class in November. Instead, she explained her plans for the project, making art that they wouldn’t get to take home.

“When I explained the project, there was this stunned silence,” Widner said.

She then compromised with the class, allowing them to take home a card if they made more than one.

The class produced 37 cards ready for the world. The week before Christmas, Widner distributed them amongst the community.

The Sammamish library had 20 of the cards, the Starbucks in between Safeway and Bartell Drugs had 12 of them. Dr. Rossi’s office, on 228th Avenue had the remaining five.

On the back of each of the cards, there was a note:

“You have found a piece of art made by a Rachel Carson Elementary sixth grade student. We hope you are inspired by these lines. Feel free to keep it, leave it, or pass it on to a friend.”

When Widner returned to the library the next day to collect the leftover cards, she found none. In one day, all 20 of them were taken by complete strangers.

“I was astounded,” she said.

“It’s a really nice feeling to be able to help,” said Elyse Widner, Lesa’s daughter and member of the class.

“It started from something bad, but it turned into something good for the kids to enjoy. Sammamish is just the kind of place where something like that can happen. They didn’t get torn up, or thrown away, they were enjoyed.” Lesa Widner said.

“La bufanda!” and “El vestido!” they shout as their teacher instructs them to repeat after her.

These 10 boys and girls, all between the ages of 6 and 11, are a part of a growing program in the Issaquah School District. Foreign Language for Youth, or FLY as it is also known, is an after-school series that equips elementary school students with foundational language skills in Arabic, French, Spanish, Chinese and Mandarin. Featured in 15 of the state’s school districts, the program uses games, conversation and activities to engage young pupils who are otherwise not exposed to foreign languages until later in their school careers.

“Students are like sponges at this early age,” Konni Barlich, founder and director of FLY, said. “Their brains are so malleable that they just take in information.”

FLY is unaffiliated with any formal curriculum, although lessons are often held in a district’s schools to make for a more conducive learning environment. The students in one first-level Spanish course, for example, practiced their clothing vocabulary in an empty classroom after hours.

The teacher asked them to pretend they were shopping at a clothing boutique in Barcelona. To place something in their shopping basket, they would first have to order in Spanish. The student with the biggest pile of loot at the end of the game was named the winner.

“When you have these fun activities, kids don’t even realize they’re absorbing the information,” parent Anne Freeman said.

Freeman enrolled her son in the course at Cascade Ridge because she remembers struggling with languages as a young girl. Learning early on, she hoped, would better equip her son for the future.

“You have to be able to understand other cultures, it’s not just about language alone,” Freeman said.

Barlich first got the idea for FLY when her three children, now in their late 20s, were enrolled in elementary school. While volunteering in the classroom, she realized the students lacked any substantial foreign language curriculum.

“I was frustrated,” she recalled. “I thought, well that’s great, they make tortillas or whatever dish. But what I wanted is for them to actually learn the language.”

Talking to fellow parents revealed that she was not alone in her frustration. And so Barlich, a former nurse, took the initiative. In 1995, she opened FLY. In the coming years, she researched, grew and fine-tuned her curriculum, until she felt she’d developed a set of courses that was both engaging and effective.

Barlich admits that it can be difficult to retain students because the program isn’t formally recognized as a part of their school curriculum. Even one year of language, though, she said, is beneficial. Since the inception of FLY, she has witnessed a range of success stories. She has seen students graduate from the program, master several languages at once, even return to teach. Her own daughter, Karli Barlich, is one such success story.

Karli is now assistant director of the program after majoring in Spanish and honing her skills abroad for a year.

“It encourages cultural empathy,” Karli said of FLY. “We have native speakers teaching these classes and they get to learn all about their culture and their country.”

Karli can remember stepping into a taxi in Spain, after spending years studying the language and realizing how little of it she actually understood. It’s this understanding, that conversation and dialogue are the crux of any foreign language program, that has inspired FLY’s curriculum.

Karli added that peer pressure and the shame of making a mistake often discourages students from fully practicing a language. Starting children at an earlier age, when they’re still too young to be unsettled by peer pressure, gives them the building blocks to confidently study another language in the future.

In a region as diverse as the Pacific Northwest, Konni Barlich said, linguistic aptitude is becoming recognized as a critical skill-set.

“I think it is one of the most important things we teach our children today,” she said of foreign language.

Celina Kareiva is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.