Issaquahpress020415

Page 1

WINGS CLIPPED

FROM ANT TO ZEBRA

Mount Si edges Eagles in gymnastics finale — Page 8

Author illustrates the ABCs for a good cause — Page 5

The IssaquahPress

Issaquah’s only locally owned newspaper

www.issaquahpress.com

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Issaquah marijuana store opens for business

By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com

Issaquah’s only recreational marijuana shop drew a crowd of exactly one when doors opened on the store Jan. 30. Tucked away in a corner of Issaquah, the Issaquah Cannabis Co. more resembles a doctor’s office or a jewelry store than what one might think of as a marijuana store. The main counter consists of highly polished glass cabinets displaying different strains of marijuana buds or flowers, as well as oil concentrates. Edibles, vaporizers and glass bongs, some of which resemble works of art, line the back walls of the carpeted, quiet store. The Cannabis Co. will be Issaquah’s only recreational marijuana store. (Cadman Inc.,

a concrete company, sits not far away on Northeast Juniper Street, while the Issaquah Village RV Park is right next door.) Parent company Reach Island LLC won a state raffle for the only available Issaquah permit in May. “This place ought to be in Bellevue Square,” said Marine and Vietnam veteran Randolph A. Grove, A.K.A. “Rag,” who was quickly through the front door when the second story store opened. Rag said he was referring to the décor as well as the prices, which he said were considerably higher than what he could find on the street. The store sells buds and oil concentrates mostly in grams See OPENING,

By Greg Farrar

Issaquah resident Randolph Grove (left), a retired Marine and Vietnam veteran and Issaquah Cannabis Co.’s first paying customer, expresses surprise at the price of a package of marijuana offered Jan. 30 by general manager Page 2 Clifford Gehrett. See more photos from the store’s opening day at www.issaquahpress.com.

Northwest Dogwood Street ready for rebuilding Matt Bott to leave chamber

By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com

“It’ll be a pretty dramatic transformation of the street,” said Issaquah’s Kerry Ritland, engineering manager for the project that will bring about that transformation of downtown’s Northwest Dogwood Street. On Jan. 27, the city held an open house about the project, set to begin in May with completion planned by October. Essentially, the work is two projects being done concurrently: replacement of the street’s bridge over Issaquah Creek and upgrades to sidewalks and water mains. Funding for the project comes primarily from a federal grant of $2.4 million, with the city chipping in $563,600.

The sidewalk work is the continuation of construction done on sidewalks along the street last year, Ritland said. “The city has been working on these sidewalks for some time,” he said. “We are finally finishing up that project.” Ritland added that pedestrian safety has long been a concern on the affected stretch of Dogwood Street. Obviously, the sidewalks themselves will add to pedestrian safety, but Ritland said placement of sidewalks would result in a narrowing of the roadway, which should have a calming effect on traffic. The second major project to get underway is the replacement of the Dogwood Street Bridge, built in 1950. City officials said the bridge is too narrow to prop-

HAPPIER HAWK TIMES

erly handle modern-day traffic. The rebuilding includes replacing the existing 70-foot bridge with a 102-foot span encompassing two 12-foot vehicle lanes, along with sidewalks and bike lanes. The new bridge should help reduce flooding in the area, as the increased size will add capacity for Issaquah Creek as it travels beneath the span. The bridge reconstruction will mean the closure of Dogwood, Ritland said. Posted detour signs will direct traffic to either Sunset Way or Juniper Street. In addition to the sidewalk and bridge work, Ritland said the city is taking advantage of the opportunity to redo water mains, bury utility lines and put in new streetlights. Ritland dubbed the latter “pe-

Skate park supporters seek more features, space By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com

By Greg Farrar

Ben Hanson (left), a community center recreation leader, and Jared Behl, recreation specialist, arrive with a 12th Man flag, warpaint, Seahawks jerseys and an imitation Lombardi trophy during the city’s big 12saquah rally Jan. 30 on the City Hall steps. Behl, a Green Bay Packers fan, wore Seattle colors, including a tutu, as payment for his lost bet on the NFC championship game. Mayor Fred Butler raised a 12th Man flag at exactly 12:12 p.m.

destrian streetlights” because of their smaller-than- normal, 15foot height. The average streetlight is 30 feet in height. Ritland said the smaller-scale lights are the same type used by Issaquah on Rainier Boulevard. Further, the city found a somewhat unique way to pay for the lights. Essentially, Puget Sound Energy will provide the streetlights and future maintenance, with the city paying the power bill for the lights and slowly repaying some of the cost of the lights themselves. Regarding the water main, plans are to replace an aging pipe with a 12-inch line between the bridge and First Avenue Northwest. One plus is that the larger pipe will better serve firefighters in case of emergencies.

Supporters and skateboard enthusiasts once again are urging the Issaquah City Council to move forward with a large-footprint skate park in Tibbetts Valley Park. Supporters made their thoughts known at a council meeting in late January. The larger footprint is the minimum backers would like to see, said park supporter Jerry Blackburn, an active member of the Drug Free Community Coalition and a member of the chemical dependency faculty at Bellevue College. “That’s the most advantageous plan,” Blackburn said of the more roomy skate park backers envision. Construction on the park is slated to start sometime this year, after the city approves a final design, Brian Berntsen, deputy director of Issaquah Parks & Recreation, said in an email. During its most recent budget talks, the council approved $350,000 for the park, Berntsen added. Staff had requested an additional $150,000 to build the design preferred by some residents and public park supporters. Though he did not give any timetable, Berntsen said park construction could begin at the $350,000 funding level. “This funding will enable us to start construction on a skate park with a smaller footprint and many amenities of the public

preferred design,” he said. The city may end up building the park in phases, said Councilman Joshua Schaer, an approach allowing the work to begin soon, but ultimately resulting in the larger park envisioned by supporters. Schaer admitted he was not a fan of the way the city initially moved forward with the park design. According to Schaer, design work was awarded and begun with no clear price tag attached to the project. “I did not support moving forward with a blank check,” he said. The existing 5,600-square-foot park, built in 1997, has been criticized as no longer up to snuff for skaters. The isolated location behind the Issaquah Community Center also has caused safety concerns. Blackburn said the openness of the new location near the Issaquah Transit Center is one of its biggest advantages. Still, he very much would like the city to get behind ideas such as a viewing area, mostly for parents, which he said only would add to the safety of the new site. Blackburn added the Drug Free Coalition is backing the skate park for what he hopes are obvious reasons, such as giving younger residents a place to go and be safe and be active. “We want to give them the healthiest options possible,” he said. “It’s what the kids deserve and I love thinking about it like that.”

Issaquah Chamber of Commerce CEO Matt Bott has resigned from the chamber to accept a position with Sound Transit. Bott has been with the chamber for six years. With the transit system, Bott will serve as East King County government and community affairs officer. During Bott’s tenure with the chamber, membership has grown by more than 20 percent, according to information released by the chamber. Chamber officials further said Bott’s tenure also featured a focus on developing the chamber’s government affairs, community engagement and economic development Matt Bott activities. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the chamber and the Issaquah community over the past six years and have appreciated the chance to work with so many talented and dedicated individuals on the chamber board and staff as well as across Issaquah,” Bott said in a press release. “I look forward to staying closely involved with the Issaquah community in my new role.” “Matt has led the chamber into a new era of engagement in public policy as it relates to economic development in Issaquah,” said Alan Finkelstein, chairman of the board of the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce. “The chamber intends to maintain its role in promoting Issaquah and Issaquah-based businesses.” Finkelstein noted numerous developments have helped create opportunities in Issaquah: construction in the highlands, the Talus project, Swedish Hospital Issaquah and the coming Costco corporate expansion. Finkelstein said Bott has agreed to work with the chamber administration on a smooth transition. He said the board would announce its plans for the coming search for a new CEO in the next few weeks.

Discover premier retirement living. Tuesday, February 10 at 1:00 pm Wine & Jazz reception following presentation. 22975 SE Black Nugget Rd, Issaquah, WA 98029 RSVP at (425) 200-0331 by February 7.

eraliving.com 75 cents


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Issaquahpress020415 by The Issaquah Press - Issuu