SAM
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JUNE 27,2012 LOCALLY OWN ED
SO CEN T S
CELEBAATING YE~!
Parkway project may never continue By caleb Heeringa It is looking increasingly unlikely that East Lake Sammamish Parkway will get any more bike lanes, sidewalks or medians anytime in the foreseeable future. At their June 18 meeting, the Sammamish City Council unanimously passed a transportation improvement plan that left the second and third phases of the Parkway expansion off the city's road construction plans for the next six years. A review of the city's traffic policies, expected in 2013, may be the final nail in the coffin of the project. The city completed the $10.3 million first phase of the project (from Northeast Inglewood Hill Road north past Northeast 18th Place) in 2010. Several current councilmembers assailed the project as wasteful and unnecessary. Councilman Ramiro Valderrama has brought the issue up at several recent council meetings, asking that the council move to do away with the later phases of the project (north of Northeast 18th Place towards Redmond) and their $27 million price tag. City staffhave countered
that the city's own road policies require them to keep the project on the docket. The city's transportation comprehensive plan classifies the road as a "minor arterial," which warrants more capacity for cars, bikes and pedestrians than is currently provided. The solution, which the council will consider in 2013, is to essentially rewrite the rules- giving the parkway its own unique classification that will allow the city to leave it off their long-term construction plans. The Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the city's transportation comprehensive plan starting this fall. Valderrama, who lives off the parkway and has been a longtime opponent of its expansion, said he was pleased that the issue may finally be put to rest. On top of the millions spent on the expansion thus far, Valderrama said the project continues to annoy he and other neighbors - the bushes in the landscaped medians have made it difficult for drivers making left turns onto the road. "It continues to create unforeseen problems at a tremendous expense for no gain, • Valderrama said.
Eastlake grads have their day
Photo by Greg Farrar
Eastlake High School graduate Hanna Kordel gets a hug from her mother Susie Kordel, as they pose for family photos next to the International Fountain at Seattle Center after Eastlake's graduation June 19. For more photos, see Page 12.
Nightmare at Beaver Lake needs help after trailer theft By caleb Heeringa
City may hire extra animal control By caleb Heeringa The city may hire extra help next year to combat the most common complaint from its park users - off-leash dogs. During upcoming budget discussions, the Sammamish City Council will consider a proposal
to hire an extra King County Animal Control officer to patrol the city's parks for 10 to 15 hours a month, looking for dog owners who let their pets run free. The extra help would cost the city $51 an hour plus mileage for the offi-
See ANIMAL, Page 2
The organizers of Nightmare at Beaver Lake are asking for donations to replace a trailer that was stolen from their Kent headquarters. Scare Productions, a nonprofit theater group that helps put on the annual Halloween-themed event at Beaver Lake, discovered June 19 that their 18-foot Wells Cargo-brand cargo trailer had been stolen. Kelcey Hendricks, promotions director at Scare Productions, said the group believes the trailer went missing
late in the evening of June 12 or in the early morning hours of June 13. The theft has been reported to police, but police have no leads at this time, she said. Inside the trailer were several props used in the Beaver Lake event, including an 8-foot by 4-foot vibrating floor, two 5-foot tall ladders and other tools. Nightmare at Beaver Lake is still on for this year and is scheduled for Oct. 19 to Oct. 31, though Hendricks said that money that normally goes towards the production could be needed to replace the trailer.
Art creates emotion
Fourth on the Plateau guide
COMMUNITY PAGE 14
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The annual event is sponsored by the Sammamish Rotary club and over the years has raised tens of thousands of dollars for area charities. Proceeds have gone to numerous programs and organizations, including scholarships for local students, aid for local families in need during the holidays, Eastside Baby Corner, Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, computers for schools in Uganda and wells in Ethiopia. The group is soliciting donations for a new trailer online at http://pledgie.com/campaigns/17640.