Register to vote in Feb. 14 special election on fire station bond
February 4, 2012
NEW — 4 p.m. Feb. 4, 2012
The deadline for people to register in person to vote in the Feb. 14 special election is Monday.
Many Issaquah-area residents received ballots late last month as Fire District 10 asks voters to approve a bond for a replacement fire station meant to improve response times.
Officials said a fire station built in May Valley could improve response times for rural residents and alleviate the workload for Fire Station 71 along East Sunset Way in downtown Issaquah — a station responsible for serving many neighborhoods inside city limits.
The district is asking voters to approve a $5.5 million bond to fund a rebuilt Station 78 and improvements to other fire stations throughout the sprawling district. The price tag for the rebuilt station alone is expected to reach $4.5 million.
Police plan anti-DUI blitz for Super Bowl Sunday
February 2, 2012
NEW — 3:45 p.m. Feb. 2, 2012
Expect to see extra police cruisers on roads in Issaquah and King County as officers look for impaired drivers on Super Bowl Sunday.
The evening of the Super Bowl game is historically a dangerous time on Washington roads due to the high number of people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police in Issaquah plan to participate in the anti-DUI blitz. Officers in nearby cities and Washington State Patrol troopers plan to participate, too.
“Make the right call and choose a safe ride home this weekend,” Dr. David Fleming, director and health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, in the statement. “Before your party begins, designate a sober driver, ride the bus or take a cab.”
Half of all traffic deaths in Washington state on the Super Bowl evening involved impaired drivers. Since 2009, police arrested 191 people for DUI on Super Bowl Sunday in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
Northwest Sammamish Road is reopen after gas leak
February 2, 2012
NEW — 12:40 p.m. Feb. 2, 2012
Northwest Sammamish Road is open again from west of 15th Place Northwest to the entrance of Lake Sammamish State Park, about 90 minutes after crews responded to a gas leak along the street.
Officials did not evacuate any surrounding structures due to the leak.
Issaquah senators offer key Republican support for same-sex marriage bill
February 2, 2012
NEW — 10 a.m. Feb. 2, 2012
Issaquah legislators offered key Republican support for the same-sex marriage bill passed in the state Senate on Wednesday.
Cheryl Pflug
Steve Litzow
Cheryl Pflug and Steve Litzow joined the 28-21 majority to endorse the legislation.
So far, a half-dozen states — Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont — plus Washington, D.C., allow same-sex marriage. Washington state has had a domestic partnership law — or “everything but marriage” law — in place since 2009.
(Pflug, a former state representative from Maple Valley, represents the 5th Legislative District; Litzow, a freshman senator from Mercer Island, represents the 41st legislative district.)
City leaders cut staff through layoffs, severance amid reorganization
February 1, 2012
NEW — 3:55 p.m. Feb. 1, 2012
Officials announced cuts to the city workforce — including six layoffs — Wednesday, as City Hall launches a broad reorganization.
Overall, leaders reduced staff through layoffs, a severance program and vacancies. The total includes five positions eliminated through voluntary separations and two vacancies.
The city also plans to add three positions for a beefed-up economic development effort.
The changes came months after Seattle consultant delivered a report detailing City Hall operations.
The study focused on efficiency and effectiveness. Moss Adams discovered different cultures, expectations and management styles across municipal departments. The also report pointed out the differences in coordination, scheduling and tracking across departments.
Issaquah plans another debris drop-off event at Tibbetts Valley Park
February 1, 2012
NEW — 2 p.m. Feb. 1, 2012
Issaquah residents and business owners can drop off tree branches and other woody debris from recent storms at Tibbetts Valley Park on Saturday and Sunday, officials announced Wednesday.
The drop-off site is scheduled to open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park, 965 12th Ave. N.W. Only storm-related woody debris is accepted. Though representatives plan to monitor drop-offs, customers must unload material themselves.
The city held a similar event Jan. 28-29, and collected about 500 cubic yards of debris from 610 people.
King County is also offering a debris drop-off event for residents.
Cleanup from storms could last for weeks in Issaquah
January 31, 2012
Terry Hillier, a Capella Drive Northwest resident, unloads branches from his station wagon Jan. 28 at Tibbetts Valley Park. By Greg Farrar
In the days after snow and ice hobbled Issaquah and the region, crews deployed across the city to collect sand from streets and downed trees from neighborhoods.
The recovery effort lurched into gear before snow and ice melted, but city residents and officials continue a daunting task to clean up from the recent storms and prepare for possible conditions in the months ahead.
Dump winter storm debris at county sites or curbside
January 31, 2012
Debris continues to linger outside King County homes, long after the snow and ice melted.
The recent snowstorm and ice storm left tree branches and limbs, plus other debris, on roads and lawns in Issaquah and elsewhere. King County Executive Dow Constantine cleared the way for disposal events in the days after the storms.
“We have made it easy for residents to dispose of debris so they can quickly put the storms of last week behind them and move on with life,” he said in a statement released Jan. 26.
State insurance commissioner offers advice for understanding storm claims
January 31, 2012
The top insurance regulator in Washington offered some insurance-claim tips to residents cleaning up from recent snow and ice storms.
“We encourage people to start with their agent or insurer. But our staff can often help with denied claims, delayed payments and confusing policy language,” state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said in a statement.
Consumers call the Insurance Consumer Hotline at 1-800-562-6900 toll free or file a complaint at www.insurance.wa.gov.
Homeowners should check contractors before hiring for storm cleanup
January 31, 2012
The state Department of Labor & Industries reminded residents to check contractors’ credentials, as residents seek help to clean up from recent winter weather.
Whether the job requires residents to hire a tree-removal service to clean up a downed tree or a general contractor to repair damage to a roof and gutter, the agency said a little homework upfront can protect consumers against fraud, shoddy work or, simply, bad contractors.
