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may 13, 2015
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Erika mitchell pens new spy thriller, page 10
Committee OKs $518 million plan for Issaquah schools By Neil Pierson npierson@sammamishreview.com A committee of parents, principals and other educational leaders has approved a plan that would ask Issaquah School District voters for more than a half-billion dollars to build four new schools and modernize several others.
At a May 6 meeting, the district’s bond feasibility and development committee approved a package that would raise $518.5 million in voter-approved funds. The bond measure would likely appear on ballots in spring 2016. The final item to be added to the proposal is a big one: $120 million for a fourth comprehensive high school. The school
would likely be built for a core population of 1,500 – smaller than Skyline and Issaquah high schools, but bigger than Liberty, which finished an expansion and modernization project last year. Another $148.5 million would go toward building a new middle school and two new elementary schools. That would give the district a total of six middle schools
and 17 elementary schools. Superintendent Ron Thiele said locations haven’t been chosen for any of the new schools, and the Issaquah School Board would likely discuss those specifics in a private executive session to avoid a possible spike in real estate prices. Thiele is expected to review the proposal, and the school
board will likely set its own timeline for bringing a bond measure to a public vote. The proposal includes $97 million for property acquisition costs. Officials have previously said large plots of land inside the district boundaries are becoming increasingly scarce, and increasSee SCHOOLS, Page 2
County plans to take out 40 fewer trees in latest trail plan By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com
Buddy system By Greg Farrar
A dozen eighth-grade girls and boys throughout the Issaquah School District gathered in a giving effort April 25 at Beaver Lake Middle School to build Buddy Benches for the district’s 15 elementary schools. Above, industrial arts teacher Patrick Ford (left); Evan Baker, a Sunny Hills Elementary fifth-grader who helped come up with the idea last year; and Beaver Lake Principal Stacy Cho work on one of the benches. At right, John Adams, an Issaquah Middle School eighth-grader working single-handedly on his third Buddy Bench, drills a plaque on the bench for Clark Elementary School, as Beaver Lake student Jackson Brooks works in the background on another bench.
SLIDESHOW See more photos from the April 25 Beaver Lake Middle School Buddy Bench project at www.sammamishreview.com.
On April 24, King County planners completed work on the much anticipated 95 percent plan for South Sammamish, Segment A of the East Lake Sammamish Trail. The plan was designed in reaction to strong criticism from city officials and residents along the trail. The revisions apparently were released to Sammamish city officials shortly after April 24 and, as of last week, were under study by city staff. City Manager Ben Yazici said he had not seen the plans as of mid-last week and declined any comment on the whether the revised plans for the trail now include more suggestions from
Newspaper publication dates are changing The publication dates of the Issaquah Press Inc. newspapers — The Issaquah Press, Sammamish Review and SnoValley Star — are changing. The Press and the Review, which currently come out on Wednesdays, will be delivered on Thursdays beginning next week. The Star, which currently comes out on Thursdays, will be delivered on Fridays beginning next week. Deadlines for letters to the editor, community news and
the city and the public. “I don’t have the complete plan in front of me,” Yazici said, “nor do I have a complete assessment.” Along with a summary of the plan, the complete redesign was released on the county’s website May 7. The county received 170 comments from residents and others, said Frank Overton, a capital projects managing supervisor for the county. In response to those comments and others, Overton said the county made numerous changes to the previous, highly criticized plan. For example, the number of significant trees slated for removal dropped from 69 to 29, Overton said. In one location, See TRAIL, Page 2 calendar items for all three weekly newspapers will remain at noon Friday. The classified advertising and camera-ready advertising deadline for The Press and the Review will move to 11 a.m. Mondays. The classified advertising and camera-ready advertising deadline for the Star will move to 11 a.m. Tuesdays. Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER
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Schools From Page 1 ingly expensive, going for $1 million to $2 million per acre. The district needs roughly 10 acres to build a new elementary school, 20-25 for a middle school, and 40-45 for a high school. The plan also calls for expanding and remodeling five elementary schools, two middle schools and the district’s central administration building for a total of $128 million. The five elementary schools targeted are Cougar Ridge, Discovery, Endeavour, Maple Hills and Sunset. They would each receive facelifts costing $7 million to $9 million. Endeavour, built in 1996, is the newest of those buildings, and has yet to get any major upgrades. The proposal calls for
Trail From Page 1 in order to save trees that residents say screen private property, the trail will be shifted to the north. Overton made clear that change is contingent on obtaining permission from the Army Corps
SAMMAMISH REVIEW
Pine Lake Middle School to be rebuilt – likely into a multistory building – at a cost of $71 million. Beaver Lake Middle School would get $8.5 million for more minor upgrades. Expanding the district’s administration building for $7.5 million was maybe the most debated portion of the plan. Jake Kuper, Issaquah’s chief of finance and operations, said the space is not meeting current needs. With the district expecting to add 1,500 to 2,000 students in the next five years, more central staff will need to be hired, and the building doesn’t have the space to house them. The committee looked at the possibility of leasing additional administrative space, but believed expanding a district-owned building would be more costeffective in the long run. Kuper said Issaquah has “the lowest overhead in King County,” spend-
ing about 2.5 percent less on administrative costs per student than the average school district. Along with more office space, the district would like to add room for large meetings, such as professional development conferences, which are often being held at neighboring schools because the board room isn’t big enough. “That’s one goal as well, is to stop encroaching on our neighboring buildings,” Kuper said. “This facility is just maxed out from a usage standpoint.” Issaquah is already using more than 100 portable classrooms – every school has at least one – and the bond proposal would spend $6 million on more. Of the remaining funds, $1 million would purchase land to expand the district’s transportation facilities, $6 million would go toward project management needs, and $12 million would be set aside for
contingencies and a reserve fund for future projects. Every Issaquah school had a parent representative on the committee, which held three meetings, and the group reached a consensus quickly enough that a meeting scheduled for May 20 won’t need to take place. Jonathan Grudin, who has children attending Pacific Cascade Middle School and Issaquah High School, said he was impressed with the foresight and research district officials put into their proposals. “This is a controversial issue, because there are people in here who are very skeptical of government, and yet …everybody was convinced that this was the right thing to do,” Grudin said. Committee members Dawn Peschek and Alicia Veevaert, who co-chair the Volunteers for Issaquah
Schools group, also see needs in and around their children’s schools. Peschek, who has children at Maple Hills Elementary and Maywood Middle School, indicated there’s an issue of maintaining equity for all students. “It’s still a nice school … but it needs to be upgraded,” she said of Maple Hills. “It’s old. It’s from 1969. So it’s time, and the other schools in the area have been upgraded.” Veevaert, whose children attend Pine Lake and Skyline, said she was excited to see Pine Lake addressed in the new proposal, since it was a late cut from the district’s 2012 bond measure. “You look around Sammamish, you look around down here in the corridor, downtown Issaquah, and you can’t help but notice that we’re already outgrowing our schools,” Veevaert said.
of Engineers to alter the ditch. In other areas, the county reduced the sight distance along the trail, which again allowed fewer trees to be removed. In some cases, trees will be “limbed up” instead of removed. In other words, lower branches will be cut off to allow better sight lines along the trail. Touching briefly on
other changes, Overton said the location of a stormwater vault was changed to lower the construction impact on East Lake Sammamish Parkway. The county will mitigate wetlands within the trail corridor as requested by the city, said Doug Williams, communications manager for the county. “Banking” wetlands at separate locations and gaining the right to alter wetlands at a development site is a common practice. Overton made his comments prior to the public release of the new plan. A
memorandum now posted on the county website mentions at least one further adjustment. In response to concerns about vehicles bottoming out, the memo talks about modifying the slope of some residential driveways intersecting the trail. Early this year, the county released a trail plan that was 90 percent complete. Releasing a 90 percent plan is standard practice for many development projects. In that case, the 90 percent plan almost immediately came under fire as ignoring suggestions
from city officials and residents along the trail. After some back and forth between the city and county, county officials — including King County Executive Dow Constantine — apologized for leaving out the city’s suggestions and came up with the idea of creating a trail plan that was 95 percent complete and that did reflect those ideas. What happens next is largely up to Sammamish, Williams said. The county needs to obtain permits from the city in order to proceed with trail con-
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Obituary
Robert Cannon Robert Cannon Robert “Bob” Cannon, of Sammamish, loving husband to Leslie and dedicated father to Laura (Simon), Patrick and Michael, passed May 3, 2015, in Issaquah. A funeral service is at 11 a.m. Friday, May 8, at Flintoft’s Issaquah Funeral Home, 392-6444. A full obituary, photos and family guestbook are at www.flintofts.com. struction. The affected area runs alongside East Lake Sammamish Parkway beginning at approximately 212th Avenue Southeast, very close to the Sammamish border with Issaquah. The trail segment ends a bit shy of the intersection of the parkway and Southeast 32nd Street. See the county plans at www.sammamish.us. Click on “news” on the left hand side of the main page, click “current” and follow the links to the county’s trail web page.
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may 13, 2015
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Two seek re-election to City Council; Nancy Whitten bows out With their current terms expiring at the end of this year, Mayor Tom Vance and Councilman Ramiro Valderrama-Aramayo both have announced they will run for reelection this fall. The third expiring seat on the council is, however, up for grabs. A member of the council since 2003, Councilwoman Nancy Whitten has said she will not seek another term. The only non-incumbent to declare her candidacy so far, resident Christie Malchow, stated on her campaign website that she will
Earth Heroes ceremony honors local efforts Eastlake High School and the Issaquah School District were recognized for their conservation efforts during King County’s annual Earth Heroes at School ceremony on May 5. King County Executive Dow Constantine and Pat McLaughlin, the county’s solid waste division director, presented the awards to several individual students, teachers and schools. This year, the program recognizes actions in waste reduction, reuse or recycling; food-waste
run for Whitten’s open seat. Malchow had not previously declared which council seat she wanted. Vance and ValderramaAramayo both are seeking their second terms on the council. The council elects the city’s mayor from among its membership; Vance began his first twoyear term as mayor in January 2014. “Four years ago,” Vance wrote in a press release, “I said we needed to ‘continue our record of financial responsibility, holding the line on taxes, and careful
prevention or food-waste collection for composting; household hazardous waste prevention or management; and climate change education or greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Issaquah School District was recognized in the waste reduction and recycling category. Since joining the King County Green Schools program in April 2005, the district increased its recycling rate from 30 percent to 56 percent, with all 24 of its schools improving its waste-reduction rates. Eastlake High School’s environmental club was honored in the food waste category. The club started a food scrap collection
management of our economic resources.’ Today, Sammamish is the envy of cities across the state for the healthy state of our finances.” Vance also pointed to environmental stewardship as one of his accomplishments. He said he led the effort to maintain an effective Environmental Critical Areas Ordinance and more recently pushed to revise treeretention rules that help protect trees during development. Valderrama-Aramayo also claimed a number of achievements, including fighting to
program and, within three months, diverted more than 4,300 pounds of food from landfills. Club members have spent more than 360 hours volunteering at lunch sorting stations, and meeting after school to develop and improve the program.
Correction The story “Eastside Fire & Rescue may seek status as a nonprofit,” in the May 6 edition of Sammamish Review, incorrectly stated with whom EFR is negotiating its collective bargaining agreement. EFR’s union is negotiating with Join EFR us leadership.
place on the ballot the initiative/ referendum question unofficially approved by voters in the April 28 special election. He said he has worked, and will continue to work, with residents to reign in King County’s controversial construction of the East Lake Sammamish Trail. “I have been an advocate of the people for the last four years… I believe we still need to further engage our citizens,” Valderrama-Aramayo said. He said he hopes the council can take into account varying opinions.
Police Blotter Bluesy vandals Juveniles tossed a lit smoke bomb on the porch of a house in the 2400 block of 200 Avenue Southeast at about 9:10 p.m. April 25. The smoke colored a door frame blue, but the residents apparently were able to clean it.
Extortion A man said he met a girl who lives near his
“There’s got to be a balance that engages all perspectives,” he said. Whitten released only a brief, emailed statement regarding her decision not to seek another term. “I am writing to advise that I will not be running for reelection this year,” she said in a letter to the editor. “It has been a pleasure to be able to serve our residents for 12 years on the Sammamish City Council.” Candidates have until May 15 to file with the King County Board of Elections.
home on 200th Avenue Southeast. The complete police report was not readily available, and it is unclear if the two ever actually met in person. Nevertheless, the man claimed the woman asked for $1,000 or said she would release a sexually graphic video of the man. No arrests were reported.
More vandalism On May 2, at about 1:45 a.m., a woman called 911 to say someone had slashed the two passenger side tires on her husband’s truck within the past few
hours. The incident took place in the 20500 block of Northeast 23rd Street.
And vandals again An unknown subject drove a vehicle across muddy grass at Beaver Lake Lodge, in the 25000 block of Southeast 24th Street. The grass was damaged, although the extent of the damage wasn’t immediately known. Sammamish Review publishes names of those charged with felony crimes. Information comes directly from local police reports.
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OPINION
SAMMAMISH REVIEW
Editorial Tell customers about data breaches quickly Premera’s decision to wait six weeks before notifying state authorities and customers about a major cyber attack on its system was inexcusable. This is the same insurance giant that was warned by federal auditors last year that its network security procedures were inadequate. Customers entrusted Premera with their most personal information, from bank accounts and Social Security numbers to home addresses and medical records. Premera Blue Cross officials claim hackers did not remove any customer data from their system, and that they followed federal law. That’s cold comfort to the 11 million Americans, including about 6 million former and current Washington residents, potentially affected. Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is right to lead a multistate investigation into Premera’s response to this hacking incident. The breach was found Jan. 29, but the attack occurred back in May 2014. Premera contacted state officials March 17, of this year. In a response to an inquiry from U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA, Premera President and Chief Executive Jeffrey Roe said the company did not immediately disclose the attack on the advice of Mandiant, a private cybersecurity firm. The concern was that notification to consumers or the media “would alert the attackers and could prompt them to download sensitive information.” Kreidler’s staff said the insurance provider could have come to the state much sooner and asked for some confidentiality. Instead, Premera kept the problem to itself — and from consumers — for six weeks. Though Premera followed federal rules mandating notification within 60 days, it’s bad business to sit on this information while customers are clueless their personal information may be compromised. State legislators enacted legislation requested by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson. State Rep. Chad Magendanz, of Issaquah, was a sponsor of bill 1078, which was signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on April 23. It will become law July 24. The bill calls for customers to be notified within 45 days, and given information about how to secure their identities. If more than 500 people are affected, nonprofits, businesses and public agencies would have to report to the Attorney General’s Office so the state could coordinate a response. Premera says it’s working with the FBI to find the culprits and prevent future attacks. Hackers will always cause trouble, but the company should notify customers more swiftly about any potential breaches of sensitive information. Source: The Seattle Times editorial board with information added by The Issaquah Press
On Further Review
Why do people volunteer? By Sandra Collins Special to the Review Each volunteer has his or her own personal reason as to why he or she is prompted to perform goodwill. Each with his or her own interesting and unique story. I know of many generous folks in my neighborhood alone. Last night, my neighbor stopped by to pick up her mail after returning from Nicaragua where she, her husband and some church friends spent seven days supporting a poverty-stricken community. She came back with a renewed appreciation for how truly lucky we are. I have lived here for 17 years and have witnessed their calling to
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community service since day one. The boy two houses down was required to perform 35 hours of community service to graduate from high school. He helped my son once a week with homework. He seemed to take it seriously and take pride in his responsibility. It felt as though it was coming from his heart rather than a requirement. I have been volunteering in all three of my son’s classrooms on and off for the past 12 years; my husband with the kids’ sports. We do it because we enjoy it and believe it takes a village to raise a child. One teacher or coach for all those active kids deserves any help available. Two weeks ago I
took up knitting. I now knit hats for the homeless with yarn my mom donates. I enlisted my 12-year-old to help show him there is more to life than his iPod. He found out that in fact there is… and it’s quite enjoyable making things for other people. In writing this column, I was excited to learn more about my block. I found out my newest neighbors across the street have a history of volunteering at a food bank, a refugee center and helped restore a house for homeless pregnant teens. My neighbor to the left has volunteered in her kids’ classrooms for eight years, and her husband helped out at the Wing Luke Asian American Museum as well as at a nursing home in Seattle. One of my neighbors runs an after-school program called The Running
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Club. One hundred grade-school kids run around the school every Tuesday for exercise…for this, I believe my neighbor deserves a gold star. My girlfriend right next door is always collecting clothes for the women’s shelter and her husband has coached their kids’ sports since they were in preschool. Writing about this inspires me to be a better person and gets me thinking of what small thing I can do to make a difference in this world. Goodwill is contagious. Nothing could have gotten me kick-started more than when my neighbor told me that she believes I have a compassionate heart and hopes that I experience what she experienced abroad one day. These stories of community service are so different but all have one thing in common, compassion. I’ve got seven for seven on my street. I bet you have lots of volunteers in your neighborhood, too.
Let us know Email information about people you know doing good deeds to editor@isspress.com.
Join the conversation
Something on your mind about your city? Tell us about it. Send an email about how you feel to samrev@isspress.com. Deadline to get in the coming paper is noon Friday. Email is preferred, but you can also mail your comments to Sammamish Review, P.O. Box 1328, Issaquah, WA 98027.
STAFF Joe Heslet..................... General manager Kathleen R. Merrill........ Managing editor Tom Corrigan............................. Reporter Neil Pierson................................ Reporter Greg Farrar......................... Photographer Deanna Jess............................Advertising
fax: 392-1695 / email: editor@isspress.com www.sammamishreview.com 1085 12th Ave. N.W., Suite D1 / P.O. Box 1328 Corrections Issaquah, King County, WA 98027 Sammamish Review is committed to accuracy. Email us at news@isspress.com. Tell us whether you Annual subscription is $35 or $60 for two years talking about content in the newspaper or online, Add $15 outside King County / $20 outside state are and give us the date of the paper or the posting.
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may 13, 2015
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New LWTech summer programs will open doors to the future Lake Washington Institute of Technology is offering several new programs this summer to help students get a jumpstart on their education. For the first time, the college is offering a variety of summer programs designed for high school students and adults. Two programs offered this summer — Summer Surge and STEM Camp — are specifically designed for high school students. Summer Surge provides eligible high school students the opportunity to earn college credits. Students can take classes such as chemistry and English and receive dual credit towards their high school diploma and college credit. LWTech also offers a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Summer Camp. STEM Camp will provide high school students the opportunity to study the latest advancement in STEM. Students will earn elective college credits in a series of weeklong workshops. Certain appli-
cation, age and other requirements apply. Call 739-8107 or 739-8311. Programs for adults and high school students Gaming is one of the fastest growing industries. LWTech is proud to offer two gaming-focused workshops: “Game in a Month” and “3D Portrait Modeling.” Workshops are available in an intensive monthlong format or students can spread classes out over the summer. If completing required academic classes is needed before fall quarter begins at LWTech or other colleges, students can enroll in an intensive four-week program where they can earn general education requirements in English, math, psychology or sociology.
LWTech is also offering a jumpstart program to help students get prepared for classes. Jump Start provides students with access to finish basic math, English or college success courses in 10 days. Completing these courses will allow students to enroll in the courses that count toward their degree or transfer once fall quarter begins. Learn more at www. lwtech.edu or call 7398100.
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Classifieds 050-Garage Sales Local ANNUAL COMMUNITY GARAGE Sale Saturday, May 16, 9am‑3pm The Woods at Issaquah, Morgan’s Ridge & Inneswood Neighborhoods 12th Ave NW and NW Firwood Blvd MIRRORMONT COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE! 15020 Issaquah Hobart Rd SE (5 miles south of Sunset way) Friday June 5th from 9‑4 and Saturday June 6 from 9‑2 SNOQUALMIE RIDGE Community Garage Sale Fri‑Sat, May 15‑16, 9am‑4pm. 200+ homes. Look for RED balloons! For a list of participating homes, visit www.ridgeroa.com – see “Resource Center” tab. 140-SERVICES 142-Services SPARKLING CLEAN Affordable • Reliable • Trustworthy Licensed • Bonded • Insured • Free Estimates • References Call 425‑530‑1501 Email : Letty19921@hotmail.com 209-NOTICES 210-Public Notices Public Notice 15‑1354 Department Development
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801‑228th Ave. SE, Sammamish, WA 98075 ‑ Phone: 425‑295‑0500 ‑ Fax: 425‑ 295‑0600 ‑ Web: www.sammamish.us Notice of Street Variation Approval Barrington Subdivision PSUB2013‑00153/SDP2015‑00600/ SVR2015‑00052 The City received a street variation request by the applicant on March 25, 2015. Based upon this request and other supporting information, the City approved the street variation from the Interim Public Works Standards on April 22, 2015. This notice of the street variation approval was issued on May 12, 2015 and public notice has been provided via: mailed notice to property owners within 500 feet of the subject site, a sign post‑ ed on the subject site, and by placing a legal notice in the local newspaper. The variation was approved on April 22, 2015 by the Department of Public Works in a letter from Andrew Zagars, P.E., City Engineer, to Core Design (c/o Jim Olson, P.E.); a copy of the PWS Street Variation approval is avail‑ able upon request. For questions on the conditions of the variation approval or other pending Public Works review items, please contact Haim Strasbourger, Engineer, at 425‑295‑0562. APPEAL PERIOD:May 12, 2015 through June 2, 2015 Pursuant to PWS.10.180, any person or agency aggrieved by an act or deci‑ sion of the City under these regulations may appeal to the City of Sammamish hearing examiner pursuant to the provi‑ sions of SMC Title 20, as now enacted or hereafter amended. The appeal shall be filed with the City permit center on the form entitled “Appeal of a Decision of an Administrative Official”, available at the City of Sammamish Community Development department. Payment of appeal fees shall be in accordance with the City’s fee resolution, or the most recent version thereof, with said fees payable to the City before acceptance of the appeal by the City for processing. Staff Member Assigned:Mona Davis, Senior Planner (425) 295‑0529 mdavis@sammamish.us
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To place your ad call: 425-392-6434 ext. 229 Deadline: Monday noon Inquiries regarding the street variation decision and appeal process, as well as requests to view documents perti‑ nent to the proposal, including envi‑ ronmental documents may be made at the City of Sammamish City Hall, 801 – 228th Avenue SE, Sammamish, Washington 98075 (Tel: 425.295.0500) during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Note: Mediation of disputes is available pursuant to SMC 20.20. Requests for mediation should be made as soon as it is determined the disputed issue(s) cannot be resolved by direct negotiation. Please contact the Department of Community Development for additional information on the Land Use Mediation Program. Published in the Issaquah Press on May 13, 2015. _______________________________ Public Notice 15‑1353 Department of Community Development 801 ‑ 228th Ave. SE, Sammamish, WA 98075 ‑Phone: 425‑295‑0500 ‑ Fax: 425‑ 295‑0600 ‑ Web: www.sammamish.us Notice of Street Variation Approval Morningside Estates Subdivision PSUB2013‑00158/SVR2015‑00051 The City received a street variation request by the applicant on March 25, 2015. Based upon this request and other supporting information, the City approved the street variation from the Interim Public Works Standards on April 22, 2015. This notice of the street variation approval was issued on May 12, 2015 and public notice has been provided via: mailed notice to property owners within 500 feet of the subject site, a sign post‑ ed on the subject site, and by placing a legal notice in the local newspaper. The variation was approved on April 22, 2015 by the Department of Public Works in a letter from Andrew Zagars, P.E., City Engineer, to Core Design (c/o Jim Olson, P.E.); a copy of the PWS Street Variation approval is available upon request. For questions on the condi‑ tions of the variation approval or other pending Public Works review items, please contact Haim Strasbourger, Engineer, at 425‑295‑0562. APPEAL PERIOD:May 12, 2015 through June 2, 2015 Pursuant to PWS.10.180, any person or agency aggrieved by an act or deci‑ sion of the City under these regulations may appeal to the City of Sammamish hearing examiner pursuant to the provi‑ sions of SMC Title 20, as now enacted or hereafter amended. The appeal shall be filed with the City permit center on the form entitled “Appeal of a Decision of an Administrative Official”, available at the City of Sammamish Community Development department. Payment of appeal fees shall be in accordance with the City’s fee resolution, or the most recent version thereof, with said fees payable to the City before acceptance of the appeal by the City for processing.
Eastside Baby Corner hosts Diaper Derby
Learn more at http://bit. ly/1DWWs1F.
seat at www.sammamishchamber.org.
Eastside Baby Corner presents its inaugural Diaper Derby through June 5. Businesses and organizations get points based upon the number of diapers collected. There will be a winner in each of three categories: • Kentucky Derby — organizations with more than 50 employees • Preakness Stakes — 11-49 employees • Belmont Stakes — 1-10 employees A Triple Crown winner will be determined by a weighted system, normalizing the number of employees for a company, to calculate an overall winner. Points are awarded by volume of the diaper (pullup/Goodnights) per package: • 1-42 count — 1 point • 33-112 count — 2 points • 113-220 count — 3 points Points are awarded for cash donations as well. Teams bring diapers collected during the week to the EBC Hub each Friday. Schedule your drop-off time and location by calling Christine White at 865-0234. A winner will be announced June 5.
Sammamish chamber presents women in business conference
Lake Washington Schools Foundation raises about $260K
Note: Mediation of disputes is available pursuant to SMC 20.20. Requests for mediation should be made as soon as it is determined the disputed issue(s) cannot be resolved by direct negotiation. Please contact the Department of Community Development for additional information on the Land Use Mediation Program. Published in the Issaquah Press on May 13, 2015.
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The Sammamish Chamber of Commerce is set to host its annual Celebrating Women in Business Conference from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 15 at The Plateau Club, 25625 E. Plateau Drive, Sammamish. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear keynote speaker Jenni Butz, as well as the chance to participate in three expert workshops hosted by Kim Peterson, Lisa Copeland and Jessica Butts. This year’s theme is ”Taking the next step!” Sometimes, we get stuck and are not sure which way to go. Breaking down those steps and taking just the first one can be a great way to move forward and explore different options. Everyone is welcome to attend, chamber member or not. You are welcome whether you are just beginning your career or closing in on retirement. Tickets are $45 and include lunch, a trade show, time to network, door prizes and more. Register to reserve your
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Staff Member Assigned:Mona Davis, Senior Planner (425) 295‑0529 mdavis@sammamish.us Inquiries regarding the street variation decision and appeal process, as well as requests to view documents perti‑ nent to the proposal, including envi‑ ronmental documents may be made at the City of Sammamish City Hall, 801 – 228th Avenue SE, Sammamish, Washington 98075 (Tel: 425.295.0500) during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
SAMMAMISH REVIEW
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The Lake Washington Schools Foundation brought in more than $260,000 through its 10th annual Learning for Learning luncheon April 29. Nearly 600 guests attended the luncheon to support the Lake Washington School District’s 26,000-plus students. Speakers included district Superintendent Tracy Pierce; emcee Dennis Bounds, a KING5 TV news anchor; and a parade of K-12 students who highlighted various foundation-funded programs. The foundation is still accepting donations online at www.lwsf.org/ donate.
Annual Click it or Ticket campaign focuses on children The state’s annual Click It or Ticket campaign is May 18-31. During those dates, motorists in Washington can expect to see extra seat belt patrols, which will include an emphasis on children who are not properly restrained. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional deaths among children in the United States. Between
2010 and 2012 in Washington state, 26 passengers 12 and younger died, and another 122 were seriously injured as a result of traffic crashes. Issaquah, Sammamish and Renton will join other King County municipalities in participating with extra patrols with the support of the county’s Target Zero Task Force. Those and all extra patrols are part of Target Zero — striving to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030. Learn more at www. targetzero.com. Learn more about the Washington Traffic Safety Commission at www.wtsc.wa.gov.
Pine Lake fishermen catch plenty of trout The Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife released figures from the opening day of the lowland lakes fishing season April 25. State officials checked 62 anglers at Pine Lake, where they reported catching 185 fish and releasing 114 more. The population of triploid trout — rainbow trout that cannot reproduce and quickly grow to large sizes — appears to be flourishing, the report states. Anglers caught an average of 4.8 fish, the secondhighest rate among the nine King County lakes named in the report. The largest reported catch was 17.3 inches in length.
Pet of the Month Meet Raven, a 10-month-old adventurous black-and-white domestic shorthair girl. Raven is quick and playful with a tendency for knocking things over — just because she enjoys having fun and might not pay as close of attention to her surroundings. She enjoys playing with feather toys, cat catchers and small catnip toys that she likes to bat around. Although she’s playful, she’s still a little fearful of human companions. This sweet girl will blossom around a patient, loving adopter who will give her the time she needs to gain confidence in new situations. Come into Seattle Humane today to meet this special girl.
To adopt this or other animals, call the Humane Society for Seattle/King County at 641-0080 or go to www.seattlehumane.org. All animals are spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated, and come with 30 days of pet health insurance and a certificate for a vet exam from VCA All Critters.
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SAMMAMISH REVIEW
may 13, 2015
Business Notebook May 13th, 2015
Special Section of The Issaquah Press Advertising Dept.
The Cascade Team Hosts Open House Treasure Hunt The Cascade Team is a real estate company like no other. They are a full service real estate brokerage utilizing the latest marketing and innovative technology; establishing them as a leader in the real estate industry. When you list your home with The Cascade Team, they offer a 1% listing commission with the standard 3% commission being offered to the buyer’s agent, allowing you significant savings over the traditional 6%. For example, the savings for a seller with a listing price of $500,000 is $10,000! It all starts with their service. This is what you can expect from The Cascade Team when marketing your home: Personal Property Websites adaptable to any device, Listing Syndication Feeds, 3D Walkthrough Showcase, Full Social Media Campaign, Smart Search Technology, Paid Premier Placement on Trulia, Zillow and Yahoo, Automated Home Feedback System, Open Houses, and a Free One Year Home Warranty. Founded in 2006, The Cascade Team currently has 12 offices in 4 states. Their local agents are market experts who are fully committed to providing the best in service and technology for their clients. They pride themselves on living and working in the communities in which they serve. In the end, The Cascade Team has the perfect combination of marketing, innovation, and savings.
$10,000 off Select Homes 42” Flat Screen TV Movie Tickets $5,000 Buyer Bonus Coupons Free Car Wash
On Saturday, May 16th from 10am to 4pm The Cascade Team is hosting a one of a kind event; The Open House Treasure Hunt. Anyone over 21 can sign up to participate at TheCascadeTeam. com with the opportunity to win over $200,000 in cash and prizes. Locations of the Eastside and Woodinville homes participating in the Open House Treasure Hunt will be available on Friday, May 15th. Prizes of The Open House Treasure Hunt include the following: $10,000 off the price of Select Homes, a 42” Flat Screen TV, an XBOX One, $5,000 Buyer Bonus Coupons, an iHome Sound System, $500 toward house painting, Movie Tickets, Dinner for 2 at Local Restaurants and much more! Start participating in the Open House Treasure Hunt today. Here’s what you need to do: Register at www.TheCascadeTeam.com. Then, on Saturday, May 16th visit a minimum of 5 Open Houses to collect your Secret Treasure Codes. Visit TheCascadeTeam.com to complete the form and enter your secret treasure codes to win prizes. All registrations must be complete by midnight Sunday, May 17, 2015. The drawing for prizes will be on Monday, May 18, 2015. Only US Citizens over the age of 21 are eligible to win prizes. The Cascade Team Open House Treasure Hunt is proudly sponsored by KOMO News Radio, Star 101.5, The Issaquah Press, Sammamish Review,
SnoValley Star, Woodinville Weekly, and Fidelity National Home Warranty. Cary Porter, Owner and Designated Broker, Janet Jolly-Porter, Marketing Director, and Allison Conner, Marketing Assistant, will be happy to answer your questions or assist you in any way. They can be reached at 425-3134752. The Cascade Team Main Office is located at 355 NW Gilman Blvd., Suite 101 Issaquah. Cary and Allison can be reached via email at Cary@thecascadeteam.com and Allison@ thecascadeteam.com.
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Active Senior Fair 2015 Saturday, May 16 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Westminster Chapel of Bellevue 13646 NE 24th Street
SAMMAMISH REVIEW
Issaquah Schools Foundation hosts fundraisers May 14 and 20
The Issaquah Schools Foundation invites the public to participate in two Nourish Every Mind fundraising events in the coming week. The foundation will host a luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 14 at the Issaquah Community Center, and a breakfast from 7-8:45 a.m. May 20 at Eastridge Church. The events will include stories about how donor investments affect students and staff members in the Issaquah School District. The suggested donation to attend either event is $150. Email stacy@isfdn. org to register.
Sammamish Farmers Market welcomes master gardeners
This fun, FREE, daylong event features a fashion show and a variety of entertainers. Sit in on mini-seminars and workshops. Take advantage of free health screenings. Stroll through vendor exhibits highlighting a wide range of Eastside businesses and organizations. The entire day is geared to the active senior. No Registration Required. FREE Parking. Don’t miss this fun-filled event!
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The Master Gardener Foundation of King County, which supports a Washington State University extension program, will be at the Sammamish Farmers Market on select days throughout the spring and summer. The master gardeners will be at the market — held at the Sammamish Commons — on May 20, June 10, July 8, Aug. 12 and Sept. 9. The group’s mission is to educate the public about
environmentally friendly gardening techniques. Members will teach people how to manage gardens and landscapes in a sustainable, scientifically based manner; address environmental and social priorities like water conservation; reduce the impact of invasive species; and increase public awareness of healthy living through gardening. Learn more about the master gardeners at www. mgfkc.org.
Symphony performs Tchaikovsky piece at June concerts The Sammamish Symphony Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4 in F Minor” next month at concerts in Sammamish and Bellevue. The performances, featuring youth concerto competition winner Mira Yamamoto, will be at Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Theatre at 7:30 p.m. June 4, and at the Eastlake High School Performing Arts Center at 2 p.m. June 7. The symphony, led by conductor Adam Stern, will perform what is considered one of the more powerful pieces in orchestral history. Also on the program are selections from composers Franz Liszt and Antonin Dvorak. Yamamoto, chosen as concert master of the Thalia Symphony Orchestra in Seattle, is a high-school senior who studies violin and piano collaborations. She’ll
attend the Julliard School of Music this fall. Purchase tickets or learn more about the Sammamish Symphony Orchestra at www.sammamishsymphony.org.
Sammamish designer earns first-place award Kassi Clark, who owns Sammamish interior design firm Kasabella, won a first-place award last month in the Seattle Design Center’s 16th annual Northwest Design Awards. Clark won for Best Individual Room in the contemporary category. Her design of an entertainment and game room in a Redmond-area home was selected from a group of submissions. Designers, architects and students from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia submitted more than 150 projects in 15 competitive categories. Kasabella, which works with residential and commercial customers throughout the Northwest, has won top honors in a category for three years in a row.
Find this week’s Calendar of Events at www. sammamish review.com.
SPorts
SAMMAMISH REVIEW
may 13, 2015
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Skyline outlasts Issaquah in KingCo girls tennis By Neil Pierson npierson@sammamishreview.com Fans of the Skyline and Issaquah high school girls tennis teams couldn’t have asked for a much better match than what they witnessed when the rival schools got together in the Class 4A KingCo Conference regularseason finale. Issaquah came out on top in a couple marathon singles match-
es, but visiting Skyline earned a 4-3 win May 6 by sweeping the three doubles matches. Skyline sophomore Ali Brazier, playing No. 3 singles, also came up with an important victory for her team, breezing past Christine Park, 6-1, 6-1. “I thought my serve was very consistent, and I had positive self-talk that let me win and stay in the points,” Brazier said. “And my footwork was really good as
well.” Brazier has made big strides on the court since her freshman season: She has gone from being the 12th-ranked player on the team to No. 6, vaulting herself into No. 3 and No. 4 singles matches instead of JV matches and varsity exhibitions. And she has helped the Spartans to a second-place finish in the KingCo standings ahead of the conference tournament,
which Skyline hosts May 11-13. Brazier went 6-2 in her conference matches. She credits her coaches and her mother Sabile for helping her get better. “She doesn’t play a lot, but she is very experienced,” Brazier said of her mom. The Spartans’ doubles teams were maybe the biggest reason for the team victory over Issaquah, and the No. 2 duo of Kendall Brown and Allison Kim
came up with a pivotal result by rallying to defeat Jessica Zhu and Colleen Ball in the three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-2). Skyline’s No. 1 team of Julia Lioubarski and Jasmine Ye earned a 6-4, 6-3 win over Inyoung You and Emma Gavin, while the No. 3 team of Hannah Andres and Annie Xia knocked off Kimmy Lum and Nathalie Aps (6-2, 6-1). See TENNIS, Page 11
Area roundup: EC Eastlake’s Jordan Lester signs baseball advances with Robert Morris basketball to Metro semis The Eastside Catholic High School baseball team took charge of its Class 3A Metro League tournament opener May 9, scoring four runs in the fourth inning and cruising to a 5-0 win over Roosevelt at Steve Cox Memorial Park in Seattle. Eastside Catholic (192) advanced to the May 12 tournament semifinals against O’Dea, results that came after press time. A win over O’Dea would have pit the Crusaders against either Garfield or Bainbridge in the tournament title game, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 14 at Steve Cox Memorial Park. The tourney is doubleelimination, and the top four seeds automatically qualify for the state tournament. EC senior pitcher Billy Dimlow led the way against Roosevelt, scattering four hits and one walk while striking out nine over seven innings. He got help at the plate in the form of Taylor Wright, who went 2-for3 with a double and a run scored, and Colton Maholvich, who doubled and drove in two. KingCo 4A tournament Bothell 4, Skyline 3 (nine innings): Miles Jackson hit a walk-off RBI single to help the Cougars cap off a comefrom-behind win over the Spartans in a first-round KingCo 4A game on May 9 at Woodinville High
School. Skyline (9-9) was two outs away from a 1-0 win before Shawn Munro hit a tying solo home run to force the game to extra innings. Skyline starter Hugh Smith threw seven innings, struck out seven and allowed one earned run, but earned no decision. The Spartans played Eastlake on May 11 in a loser-out game at Inglemoor High School, results that came after press time. Newport 8, Eastlake 0: The top-seeded Knights had no trouble in another May 9 first-round game at Woodinville, pulling away from the Wolves with six runs in the fifth inning. Newport’s Ryan Kingma was masterful on the mound, throwing a complete-game two-hitter with two strikeouts.
Fastpitch KingCo 4A Eastlake 6, Redmond 4: Freshman Sophia Robinson was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs as the Wolves (8-8 overall, 7-7 KingCo) rallied past the visiting Mustangs on May 8. Julie Graf got the win, allowing three earned runs over seven innings. Eastlake finishes the regular season May 13, hosting Issaquah at 5 p.m., and begins postseason tournament play May 16 at Inglemoor. See ROUNDUP, Page 11
By Neil Pierson npierson@ sammamishreview.com
Jordan Lester is the definition of a gym rat. It was common for Eastlake High School Athletics Director Pat Bangasser to arrive at the school at 6 a.m. and open the gymnasium so Lester could shoot. And it was equally common for Lester to keep coach Steve Kramer on the floor after practice, sometimes until midnight. Lester’s discipline and perseverance paid off in a big way May 7 when he signed a National Letter of Intent to play NCAA Division I men’s basketball at Robert Morris University, an up-andcoming program located near Pittsburgh. The recruiting process was a bumpy ride for Lester, a 6-foot-2, 190pound point guard who starred for Eastlake as a senior. He finished third in the Class 4A KingCo Conference with a 21.2 scoring average, and his 10 rebounds per game were good for second in the conference. But it wasn’t until the past month that Lester started receiving serious interest from collegiate programs. “A Division I scholarship is kind of like the lottery — there are so many good players and so few positions,” said Kramer, who is entering his second season as Eastlake’s head coach. “Jordan’s case is just simply not being as wellknown, but he can play.” Lester is believed to be
By Neil Pierson
Eastlake High School senior Jordan Lester (center) signs his National Letter of Intent to play basketball for Robert Morris University. Pictured with him (clockwise from back left) are coaches Duriell Jones, Doug Martenson, Wayne Mendezona, Pat Leahy, Steve Kramer and Todd Daugherty. only the third Division I men’s basketball signee in Eastlake history, joining 1999 graduate Curtis Borchardt (Stanford University) and 2004 grad Nick Livi (Eastern Washington University). However, he’s not the first member of his family to play collegiately, as brother Brandon Lester is finishing his second year at Pacific Lutheran University. One of Kramer’s coworkers, Andrew Coates, played college basketball with Andrew Toole, the Robert Morris coach. Coates contacted Toole, a highlight tape of Lester
was sent off and it wasn’t long before the young man was invited for a campus visit with his dad Dave. “We were trying to look for signs to where this would not work out,” Jordan said, “but there just weren’t any. It just worked out, and it was a great fit for me.” Lester also received a boost in the past six weeks from Bill Krueger, a former pitcher with the Seattle Mariners who played college basketball and baseball. He had similar struggles in the recruiting process, and helped Lester work through them. Robert Morris has been
highly successful under Toole, 34, who became the youngest Division I head coach when he was hired five years ago. The Colonials have won two regular-season conference titles under Toole, and advanced to the NCAA tournament this season, beating North Florida before losing to eventual national champion Duke. Lester said he thinks he’ll have a chance to compete for playing time immediately. “They usually play three guards, and they only have two returning guards — a See LESTER, Page 11
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SAMMAMISH REVIEW
Author Erika Mitchell targets James Bond fans with ‘Bai Tide’ By Neil Pierson npierson@ sammamishreview.com Erika Mitchell’s writing process isn’t simple and straightforward, mostly because she’s the stayat-home mother of two young children. When Mitchell, a 15-year Sammamish resident, isn’t cleaning up messes or mending bruises, she has found the time and energy to become a successful author. “You write when and where you can,” said Mitchell, a 2003 Skyline High School graduate. “I take lots of notes, because things will occur to me while I’m folding laundry or something, and I don’t want to lose it. So there’s notes all over my house.” Her first published book, “Blood Money,” came out in 2013, and a related follow-up, “Bai Tide,” hit bookstores and e-readers in April. The
Contributed
Sammamish resident Erika Mitchell recently authored her second novel, “Bai Tide,” an espionage thriller that mixes lots of twists and turns into its plot.
books are espionage thrillers, a huge departure from “chick lit,” the genre she tried first and quickly discarded. “It’s just the worst book of all-time,” Mitchell said of her failed attempt, “so no one has ever read it, not even my husband, and no one ever will.” However, readers made “Blood Money” a modest success, and early sales of
“Bai Tide” have been very encouraging, Mitchell said. “Bai Tide” is centered around Bai Hsu, a CIA officer who served as a handler to accountant Azzam Abdullah, the lead character in “Blood Money.” Hsu is assigned to an all-girls school in San Diego, where he’s posing as a physical education
teacher. Someone threatens one of his students, and Hsu’s investigation reveals a much larger, more sinister plot that has ramifications for tens of millions of people. However, Mitchell also envisioned a character that readers could relate to. “Espionage fiction, as a genre, is pretty dry, and it’s pretty dark,” she said, “and I wanted to write a book for people who love James Bond, his quips and his humor in the middle of impossible situations.” Reviews of “Bai Tide” have been largely positive. “I like Mitchell’s writing. She’s great with a turn of phrase, and she captures the small moments really well,” blogger Bonnie Fox wrote on her site, Dwell in Possibility. “The book is written in the first person, although thankfully not in the present tense, which I increasingly find obnoxious to read.” “Typically, books
involving espionage and terrorism are just not my thing, but this book really captured me from the start,” wrote Tiffany Harkelroad, the creator of Tiffany’s Bookshelf. Mitchell wrote “Bai Tide” with a lengthy series in mind. She hopes to release sequels in each of the next three years, with the storyline traveling the world from Mexico to Ukraine to China. Mitchell’s knack for writing came from her mother Rowena Portch, a former romance novelist who now works in the paranormal fantasy genre. When Mitchell was growing up, her mother took her to writers’ conferences, and the two often sat down to brainstorm ideas for the girl’s latest story. “She was very hands-on in terms of helping me craft a story,” Mitchell said. “From a very young age, I learned to kind of avoid the mistakes that most young writers make, which is to write a very
simple, straight, A-to-Z story.” The results, she said, are the surprises, false starts and twists that her stories take. “If a reader can start one of my books and see how it ends right from the beginning, I feel like I’ve failed,” Mitchell said. She’s trying to pass those lessons to others. For the past four years, she’s been a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. In June, she’s going to lead a session for the group on how to properly craft pitches to publishers. Twice in the past 18 months, she has visited the Sammamish Youth Writing Club, leading workshops about realistic fiction and suspense. “There’s something really invigorating about being around young writers,” she said. “They’re so creative, and it’s nice because they haven’t gotten all that rejection yet about, ‘Your ideas aren’t good enough.’”
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SAMMAMISH REVIEW
Roundup From Page 9 Skyline 16, Redmond 3: The Spartans picked up their third conference win on May 6, going on the road for a rout of the Mustangs that was fueled by an 11-run first inning. Annika Hildebrand was 4-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and three RBIs. Cara Harnick and Taylor Juenke each had two hits, and pitcher Molly Spaniac allowed five hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts. Metro 3A tournament Eastside Catholic 17, Ingraham 2: The
Crusaders rolled over Ingraham in a first-round game at the Southwest Athletic Complex in Seattle. No details were reported. The Crusaders (143), who won the Metro Valley Division, were set to play Holy Names on May 11, results that came after press time.
Boys lacrosse Eastlake 9, Juanita 1: Chandler Toliver recorded two goals and five ground balls to lead the Wolves past the Rebels on May 9. Eastlake’s Tanner Klinge added a goal and six ground balls, and Daniel Bradley had a goal and four ground balls.
Tennis From Page 9 The Eagles controlled singles play, with No. 2 player Ellen MacNary overcoming a slow start to defeat Sherry Huang (1-6, 6-1, 6-2), and No. 4 player Carly Ruggles winning against Meghana Shashi (6-3, 6-4). The match of the afternoon, however, turned out to be the No. 1 singles battle between Skyline’s Kelsey Zhong and Issaquah’s Lucy Huffman. Zhong set the tone early, breaking Huffman’s serve in the first game and cruising to a 6-0 firstset win. After such a poor start, some players might
may 13, 2015 have given up, but the senior Huffman only dug in deeper. She took the first four games of the second set, and after having her serve broken, came right back to win the next two games and win 6-1, sending the match to a third set. Both players played patiently and kept each other pinned to the baseline, but it was Huffman who outlasted Zhong, 6-3, finally emerging victorious when Zhong couldn’t keep an overhead smash in play. The result was particularly satisfying for Huffman since she’s been out most of the season with an injured rotator cuff on her dominant right shoulder.
Lester From Page 9 guy named Rodney Pryor, who’s their leading scorer, and then a guy named Kavon Stewart,” Lester said. “They play where they sub a lot, so they don’t really favor people, and in practice, they’re the type of team that no one’s spot is safe, so whoever is competing harder in practice will get the spot.” Kramer called Toole “one of the young, bright coaches in this country” and thinks Robert Morris is becoming a powerhouse mid-major program, on par with places like Northern Iowa,
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Wichita State and Virginia Commonwealth. “For Jordan to go to a place where player development is a big deal, that’s really what I’m most excited about,” Kramer said. “His best basketball definitely lies ahead. We’re only scratching the surface here at Eastlake with him.”
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