Children’s eyesight is crucial
Take a chance on Village Theatre’s ‘Take Me America’
Patriots defeat Totems in home opener, 54-7 Sports,
See Page B4
Girl and 9/11 share history
A&E,
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Page B12
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THE ISSAQUAH PRESS
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 • Vol. 112, No. 38
Locally owned since 1900 • 75 Cents
Bond deadline approaches
By Tom Corrigan Issaquah Press reporter The Issaquah School Board is moving closer to placing a possible $227 million capital improvement bond issue on the ballot in February. At a special session Sept. 13 and at their regular meeting Sept. 14, school board members spent several hours reviewing the district administration’s recommendations for the bond issue. The line-by-line study led to discussions about everything from replacing carpeting to installation of aluminum window frames to new roofs. The board has a Sept. 28 deadline to act on the bond recommendations presented by Superintendent Steve Rasmussen. As discussions moved forward, a proposal to install artificial turf at five schools continued to attract plenty of discussion. Rasmussen’s plan has the district installing the new turf at a cost of about $1.3 million per school. Board President Jan Woldseth Colbrese said officials need to do a good job of explaining the reasoning behind the field improvements. In the past, officials have talked about lower maintenance costs and increased use of fields by communi-
Bumps lie ahead for county roads
Leaders propose reduced maintenance, less storm response By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter Some streets in rural and unincorporated areas near Issaquah could receive reduced mainte-
nance and a lower priority for snow removal under a proposal King County leaders unveiled last week — a plan County Executive Dow Constantine called “triage” for a cash-strapped and deterio-
rating roads system. He proposed a plan to prioritize road maintenance, snow removal and storm response on a tiered system. See ROADS, Page A5
The path ahead for roads in rural and unincorporated King County could be bumpy. Officials said a combination of factors prompted a proposal to reduce road projects in the years ahead.
ANNEXATIONS The county shed people, land and property tax base in recent annexations of unincorporated land into nearby cities. Officials said the revenue decline is taking a toll on roads.
GAS TAX REVENUE
SNOW REMOVAL
King County receives state gas tax revenues to fund road construction and maintenance, but the recession — plus changes in driving habits — caused contributions to drop in recent years.
Under a proposal to focus on regional arteries, localaccess and residential roads could experience reduced or no snow and ice removal or cleanup after major storms.
MAINTENANCE County Executive Dow Constantine proposed ranking roads on a tiered scale and focusing service efforts on important regional arteries, such as Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast.
See BOND, Page A3
Redrawn maps could shift Issaquah districts By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter Issaquah could shift into a redrawn congressional district under plans from the panel responsible for redrawing Washington’s political map. The bipartisan Washington State Redistricting Commission unveiled four proposals — one from each commissioner — Sept. 13 to reshape the state’s congressional districts. The task for commissioners is made more complicated by the addition of a 10th district to account for population
growth since 2000. The maps serve as a starting point as commissioners negotiate the boundaries for the 2012 elections. If the commission fails to create a final map by Jan. 1, then the state Supreme Court is responsible for redrawing the districts. Issaquah, long inside 8th Congressional District boundaries, could shift into the 1st Congressional District as commissioners assemble districts using data from the 2010 Census. The bipartisan redistricting commission includes voting members — Democrats Tim Ceis, a for-
mer Seattle deputy mayor; and Dean Foster, a former chief clerk for the state House of Representatives; and Republicans Slade Gorton, a former U.S. senator, and Tom Huff, a former state budget chairman — and a nonvoting chairwoman, Lura Powell, former director of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Democrats Ceis and Foster proposed using Issaquah as the southern boundary for a reshaped 1st District. Republicans Gorton and Huff offered plans to keep Issaquah in a transformed 8th District.
ON THE WEB See maps of the congressional and legislative redistricting proposals at www.issaquahpress.com/tag/ redistricting.
Former King County Sheriff Dave Reichert, a Republican, is the 8th District representative. See REDISTRICTING, Page A3
By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter Issaquah, long lauded in the Puget Sound region for trailheads and salmon, earned a spot on Outside magazine’s Best Towns 2011 list for abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. The city and 18 others nationwide received the recognition in the magazine’s October issue. Issaquah and other noteworthy locales on the list earned plaudits for access to outdoor recreation — Issaquah is described as “a Seattlearea hang-gliding mecca” — and, perhaps, more mundane attributes. “Adventure amenities make a lot of towns seem dreamy,” notes the article. “What sets these 19 burgs apart is their nod to reality: affordable homes, solid job prospects and vibrant nightlife. Start packing.” Issaquah is the only Evergreen State city on the 2011 list. “When you combine all of those recreational opportunities with excellent schools and other things within in our community, it really makes us a desirable place to be,” Mayor Ava Frisinger said after the Outside issue arrived last week. The city attracted attention for close proximity to Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. “And for good reason: a 20-minute drive can put you in downtown Seattle or the oyster flats on Puget Sound,” Outside notes. “An hour away, there’s skiing in the Cascades, kayaking and rafting on the Class IV Skykomish River, and access to a half-dozen steelhead streams.” Issaquah also earned points for a lack of pretension. “Even better,” the magazine concludes, “Issaquah hasn’t been totally yuppified. The biggest party of the year is Salmon Days, a twoday festival in October celebrating the return of the spawning fish.” In describing Issaquah’s recent population boom — “a surge in out-of-towners in the past few years” — Outside misstated the city’s population as 23,200 residents. The population crested 30,000 people in the 2010 Census. In addition to Issaquah, the list includes some obvious destinations for outdoor recreation — Boulder, Colo., and Missoula, Mont., for
OUTSIDE’S BEST TOWNS 2011 The list includes outdoor-recreation destinations from coast to coast, some obvious and others less so. Portland, Ore. Issaquah Boulder, Colo. Missoula, Mont. Charleston, S.C. Wilmington, N.C. Santa Fe, N.M. Durango, Colo. Madison, Wis. Traverse City, Mich. Tucson, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Ashland, Ore. Chico, Calif. Portland, Maine Hardwick, Vt. Burlington, Vt. Ithaca, N.Y. Best Town Ever Chattanooga, Tenn.
instance, plus Portlands in Maine and Oregon. The magazine also named Chattanooga, Tenn., as the Best Town Ever in the October issue. Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.
Issaquah pantry seeks volunteers
WHAT TO KNOW
Issaquah and King County leaders gathered Sept. 14 to flip the switch on zHome, the first zeroenergy, carbon-neutral multifamily community in the United States. Built to use zero net energy and 70 percent less water than a traditional home, Issaquah, King County and other partners collaborated to open the 10-townhouse complex in the Issaquah Highlands. The project is meant to serve as a model for incorporating “green” elements into mainstream homebuilding. County Executive Dow Constantine joined Mayor Ava Frisinger to open the facility at a ceremony in the zHome courtyard. “This pioneering project sets a new standard for how homes can — and should — be built in our region and country,” Frisinger said in a statement. “Our vision is that
People curious about zHome — the first carbon-neutral and zero-energy multifamily community in the United States — can step inside the Issaquah Highlands townhouse complex during free tours through Oct. 30. The complex is open for tours any time on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and any time on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The site is located along Northeast High Street, just east of YWCA Family Village at Issaquah and the Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride.
zHome’s innovative approach will catalyze the market for much CONTRIBUTED
See GREEN, Page A3
INSIDE THE PRESS A&E . . . . . . . B12
Opinion . . . . . . A4
Classifieds . . . B10
Police blotter B11
Community . . . B1
Schools . . . . . . B9
Obituaries . . . . B3
Sports . . . . . . B6-8
Issaquah earns spot on Outside magazine’s Best Towns list
City, King County leaders flip switch on zHome By Warren Kagarise Issaquah Press reporter
See Page B1
King County Executive Dow Constantine (right, at lectern) prepares to address the crowd at the opening of zHome in the Issaquah Highlands on Sept. 14.
Consider helping the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank during the Eastside’s Month of Concern for the Hungry food drive. The annual food drive runs from Sept. 24 to Oct. 15. The food pantry needs volunteers to pass out lists of needed items to shoppers at local grocery stores. Volunteers then collect the goods and deliver the haul to the food bank. Organizers need groups to volunteer from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays throughout the food drive. Volunteers receive a location assignment, plus shopping lists, boxes and crates, assistance unloading at the food bank and staff contact information for assistance. Volunteers must have a vehicle to make several trips to and from the food bank and local grocers. Call food bank Executive Director Cori Kauk at 392-4123 to sign up or learn more.
YOU SHOULD KNOW
QUOTABLE
See the destination for most King County garbage up close. The county-run Cedar Hills Regional Landfill encompasses 920 acres between Issaquah and Maple Valley and accepts about 800,000 tons of garbage each year. The county opens the landfill for tours to school-aged children and school groups. Call 206-296-4490.
“I drove by and she was standing by the well, by the pump house. That started it. She twitterpated me.”
— Marv Lemke Issaquah resident recalling one of the first times he saw Lucille Lueder, his future wife of 68 years. (See story Page B1.)
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