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Highlands Day offers summer fun

Couple reflects on a lifetime of memories at 70th anniversary

Junior golfers square off at summer tournaments Sports,

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Find treats at Max’s World

Community,

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www.issaquahpress.com

THE ISSAQUAH PRESS

Wednesday, July 6, 2011 • Vol. 112, No. 27

Locally owned since 1900 • 75 Cents

Swedish/Issaquah is projected to create 1,000 jobs Hospital could also prompt other businesses to consider city

By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter Swedish/Issaquah is expected to deliver about 1,000 jobs to Issaquah and, city officials and hospital executives hope, spur more commercial construction in the neighborhood surrounding the hospital. The initial phase, a medical office building, is responsible for creating 450 jobs. Come November, as the portion containing the hospital beds opens to patients, the job figure is expected to rise to 700. By July 2012, as Swedish/Issaquah prepares to celebrate a year in the community, the total should rise to about 1,000 jobs. Though determining the economic impact related to the $365 million hospital could require years, officials remain optimistic about the possibilities. Issaquah Highlands developer Port Blakely Communities announced a number of residential construction projects in recent months, but plans for a cinema and grocery store in the neighborhood remain unrealized. Officials said a 175-bed hospital could provide a boon in the surrounding neighborhood. “It has spurred interest in the rest of the Port Blakely development that was kind of stagnant,” said Kevin Brown, Swedish senior vice president and chief administrative officer. Indeed, the hospital generated interest long before workers completed the structure. Crews started grading land for construction in August 2009. Throughout the 22-month construction process, about 500 workers headed to the site on a typical day. In the meantime, plans for a hospital created interest for other

By Laura Geggel Issaquah Press reporter

SWEDISH/ISSAQUAH COMMEMORATIVE SECTION Mayor Ava Frisinger welcomes hospital to Issaquah Meet the hospital’s chief of staff and some top docs Discover how artwork helps patients heal What expectant parents should expect at Swedish/Issaquah

See HOSPITAL, Page A8

BY GREG FARRAR

Patriotism on parade Elijah, Isabella and Ethan (from left), 11-month-old triplets, enjoy their first Independence Day by taking part in the Kids, Pets N’ Pride Parade with their parents, Amanda and Jacob Predmore of Sammamish, during the Down Home Fourth of July. See a slide show of the event at www.issaquahpress.com/category/photogallery/.

By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter Improvements to King County and state recreation lands near Issaquah inched ahead last week, as conservation officials outlined plans to spend $42 million for projects statewide. The plan from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office includes funding for projects on Cougar and Tiger mountains, in Duthie Hill Park and along the East Lake Sammamish Trail. State legislators approved funding for the projects in a last-

Connector is meant to link local trails, transit By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter

BY TIM PFARR

Protesters carry signs to decry the cost of a pedestrian bridge across Interstate 90 the day the bridge opened, July 1. remainder. The bridge opened after more

INSIDE THE PRESS A&E . . . . . . . . B8

Opinion . . . . . . A4

Classifieds . . . . B6

Police blotter . B7

Community . . . B1

Sports . . . . . . B4-5

The future is close at hand, and Issaquah’s youth want to have a hand in it. The Action Forum for Youth brought young voices to the forefront as teenagers met with community leaders to discuss ways to help youth connect and succeed in their community. One of the first tasks was dispelling negative stereotypes, Issaquah High School junior Allie Lustig said. “Adults just really don’t get it,” she said. “They think all teens are into prescription drugs, and I’m like, ‘No, no.’” The Issaquah Community Network held the forum May 5 at the Issaquah Holiday Inn. Network Executive Director Barbara de Michele asked all 44 attendees three questions: What positive and negative issues come to mind when you think of today’s middle and high school students? Of these items, which are the most critical challenges for youths and their families? See YOUTH, Page A5

Cougar Mountain, Duthie Hill park projects proceed minute push as a special session ended in late May. The agencies proposing the projects promised matching funds to complete construction. The state Recreation and Conservation Office presented a complete list of projects at a hearing in Olympia on June 22. King County plans to use a $500,000 grant to expand Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, create a buffer around the forested land and provide a park entrance in Issaquah. The county purchased additional land for the park last year. Using another $500,000 grant,

$6.2 million pedestrian bridge opens after delays The pedestrian bridge at Interstate 90 and state Route 900 opened July 1, months after the expected completed date. Delays related to the bridge pilings and inclement weather slowed construction on the $6.2 million project. The connector separates bicyclists and pedestrians from the busy roadway. The structure includes a 12-foot-wide pedestrian bridge across the westbound interstate on-ramp and a 10-footwide pedestrian crossing on the state Route 900 overpass. The city contributed $354,000 to the connector. Federal and Sound Transit dollars covered the

Teenagers request a place to ‘hang out’

INSIDE

medical office buildings in Issaquah, city Economic Development Manager Dan Trimble said. “Having a major medical facility like Swedish certainly helps in terms of recruiting for quality of life,” Trimble continued. “It’s one of the things that people look for. What’s your standard of health care in the community?” Swedish/Issaquah is also a selling point as city leaders attempt to lure businesses to Issaquah, because potential residents consider access to emergency care and convenient access to specialists as pluses, he said. The potential also exists for connections between Swedish/Issaquah and other workplaces. The wellness team at City Hall, for instance, reached out early to request physicians to speak to municipal employees. “From another community standpoint, it really adds to the idea that the community is looking for an additional service closer to home,” Trimble said. The hospital could also spur indirect jobs in nonmedical fields, such as hospitality and retail. “Having something as significant as Swedish in the highlands does let other entities that might want to develop there see that there is something important on which they could build,” Mayor Ava Frisinger said. “It’s definitely an incentive.” The opening also reignited interest

See Page B8

sions among city officials, transit advocates and trails enthusiasts. On opening day, a small group of sign-carrying protesters decried the connector’s cost. The remaining work on the project includes crews striping state Route 900 to bring the highoccupancy lanes closed during construction back into service. Planners identified a need for a connector in 2000, after the state Department of Transportation built HOV lanes along state Route 900. The expansion used space dedicated for bicyclists and pedestrians. The city soon received letters from numerous local and state agencies, as well as the Issaquah Alps Trails Club, offering strong support for a pedestrian connector. Despite the broad support, the

than a decade of planning and sometimes-contentious discus-

See BRIDGE, Page A5

county planners intend to expand and pave the East Lake Sammamish Trail from Issaquah to Redmond. Issaquah planners approved permits in early June to pave trail sections in the city soon. The county also received $317,000 to expand the trailhead for Duthie Hill Park. The project is designed to increase space for vehicles, so visitors do not need to park off site in unsafe areas. “This funding gives us the ability to move forward with important projects that benefit King County residents by improving recreational opportunities,” King County Executive

See PARKS, Page A8

Construction progresses on highlands townhouses By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter Homebuilder Pulte Homes has started construction on the $20 million Sunset Walk project in the Issaquah Highlands. Plans call for Sunset Walk to feature 70 two- and three-story townhouses ranging from 1,460 square feet to 2,055 square feet. Sunset Park is located near the neighborhood. Groundwork on the 5.86-acre project started in early June. The developer estimates model homes could be ready for tours as early as January. “Issaquah Highlands is one of the most sought-after places to live in the area, one of the last true master-planned communities, and Pulte Homes is thrilled to become part of it,” Frank Anderson, Pulte

Homes vice president of land acquisition, said in a news release. “Adjacent to a beautiful park, in a diverse and thriving community, with great schools, and close to high quality employment — this neighborhood is a terrific fit for people looking for a great new home community in the Northwest.” The project is employing more than 100 workers during construction. René Ancinas, president of highlands developer Port Blakely Communities, praised the Pulte Homes development. “In Sunset Walk, Pulte Homes has secured one of the most picturesque settings in Issaquah Highlands,” he said in a news

See TOWNHOUSES, Page A5

QUOTABLE

YOU SHOULD KNOW A Regional Coalition for Housing, or ARCH, now offers a tool to inform seniors, caregivers and family members about housing options in East King County. Senior Housing Options, at www.archhousing.org/currentresidents/senior-housing.html, allows seniors to evaluate values and needs, and discover the many housing and service options. Or, pick up a printed copy of the material at senior centers in East King County.

Dow Constantine said in a statement. “During these difficult budget times, we are grateful for additional funds that allow us to enhance our parks and trail systems.” The state Department of Natural Resources plans to use a $247,870 grant to replace a collapsed trail bridge and install a pair of bridges in Tiger Mountain State Forest. Independent evaluators ranked the applications based on criteria, such as public benefit, threats to the property, or the presence of

“I play myself — or a character of myself — in that I’m often sort of a fall guy. I often have a big idea that’s stupid and it comes back to bite me.”

— Austin Siedentopf Issaquah resident and a lead actor on the PBS television show ‘Biz Kid$’ (See story on Page B8.)


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