Show explores ‘Rocket Science’ of surviving high school
Seattle’s Jones Soda bottles Issaquah High School spirit 4Sports,
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The IssaquahPress
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
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Democrats dominate voters’ choices SNOW DAY theStrong get-outvote operation HOW SCHOOL OFFICIALS KNOW WHEN TO CALL A
boosts candidates
By Warren Kagarise wkagarise@isspress.com
All roads come under consideration during winter weather By Lillian O’Rorke ltucker@sammamishreview.com The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast for a drier-than-normal winter in the Pacific Northwest is good news for local schools, but just in case, Jo Porter and her transportation staff are prepared. As the director of transportation for the Issaquah School District, Porter keeps a constant eye on the weather report. If it looks like it is going to snow, then she and Connie McCoy, Laurie Mulvihill, Gayle Morgan and Lucy Anderson are out by 3 a.m., driving the roads that crisscross the 110 square miles of the school district. “It’s an experience,” Porter said. “Nobody has been traveling where we go. You might see the newspaper delivery person, but nobody else is out there.” With their firsthand knowledge of road conditions, the group meets back at Porter’s office to come up for a recommendation to the superinten-
dent — whether to delay the start of schools or close them all together. A few inches of snow can mean all the difference between starting class two hours late and canceling it for the day. “If we have 3 inches and there is more coming in, we will cancel school,” Porter said. If it looks like the snow will turn to rain, she explained, then perhaps only a late start is required. “If we go two hours late, we are going to get some sunlight,” she said. “Drivers can see better, plus it gives the city and county time to clean up the roads.” As well, she added, it gives the transportation department time to put chains on buses and make any other necessary preparations. The ultimate decision is up to the superintendent and is based on how easily the buses, not private vehicles, can get down roads. Cougar, Squak and Tiger mountains, with elevations
WHAT TO KNOW In the event of winter weather, emergency information about schools and buses can be found on the radio, TV and on the district’s website — www.issaquah. wednet.edu — or by calling the district’s hotline at 837-7000. Learn more about snow bus routes and how late starts effect your child at www. issaquah.wednet.edu as well. Click on “transportation” under the “Family Resources” tab, and then choose “Emergency Transportation bulletin” on the pop-up menu.
reaching up to 3,000 feet, are the areas that present the most challenges. If the weather report calls for a snow level of 1,200 feet, Porter said she exSee WEATHER, Page A5
Donors can still give to Merry Christmas Issaquah By Warren Kagarise wkagarise@isspress.com Merry Christmas Issaquah is still more than $11,000 shy as the annual fundraising drive for the nonprofit Issaquah Community Services continues. Donors can still give to Merry Christmas Issaquah to help Issaquah Community Services reach a $75,000 goal. So far, 199 donors have contributed $63,698 in much-needed funds. The all-volunteer organization provided more than $88,000 in assistance to local families last year, in the form of rent and utility assistance, or emergency aid. The city provides office space
and overhead, so 100 percent of donations go to people in need. Holiday donations through Merry Christmas Issaquah enable the organization to help people in the coming year. Payments do not go directly to clients. The organization offers a place to turn for local families in need of some extra help. Most clients need assistance to pay rent or a utility bill. The holiday fundraising drive accounts for about 65 percent of Issaquah Community Services’ annual budget. The organization faces increased demand for aid See FUND, Page A5
2012 GOAL: $75,000 TO DATE: $63,698 HOW TO HELP Help by making a taxdeductible donation to Issaquah Community Services. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Send donations to Merry Christmas Issaquah, c/o The Issaquah Press, P.O. Box 1328, Issaquah, WA 98027. The names of donors — but not amounts — are published in The Press unless anonymity is requested.
Tastin’ n Racin’ event ends after 16 years After 16 years of thunderous hydroplane racing and familyfriendly fun, Tastin’ n Racin’ will come to an end. Citing rising expenses and unreasonable insurance requirements, organizers made the decision to end the summer event, held at Lake Sammamish State Park, effective immediately.
Over the years, Tastin’ n Racin’ gave Eastside communities the opportunity to experience the excitement of hydroplane racing, up close and personal. The event also hosted classic car shows, motorcycle charity rides and carnival rides through the years. Tastin’ n Racin’ became a
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model event for boat races across the country, where they adopted the formula of combining a family festival on the land with the thrill of racing on the water. In a press release, the organizers thanked past attendees, volunteers and Lake Sammamish State Park for their support.
Democrats dominated Issaquah in the November election. City voters chose Democrats for every federal and statewide office on the ballot — sometimes by a broad margin and others by a handful of votes. Issaquah overwhelmingly supported Democrats in the races for president and vice president, U.S. senator and U.S. representative, and every statewide office. Only incumbent Republican Steve Litzow, a 41st Legislative District state senator representing about half of Issaquah, earned support from a majority of voters inside city limits. The information comes from
a detailed analysis of precinct results in the Nov. 6 election. “I think in the end, the Democrats just had the model right,” Peter Graves, Washington State Republican Party executive director, said in a recent interview. “They turned out the voters that they knew they needed to win.” Benton Strong, communications director for Washington State Democrats, attributed the successes to a working to get voters to the polls. “You saw how a strong getout-the-vote operation can help candidates win elections, especially when they’re close,” he said. “You know that these elections are within two, three, four points and that’s where that field operation really makes a big difference.” The contest atop the ballot between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. See TRENDS, Page A6
Community mourns longtime sports editor Bob Taylor By Kathleen R. Merrill editor@isspress.com Robert L. “Bob” Taylor, former longtime sports editor of The Issaquah Press, died Christmas Eve morning, Dec. 24, 2012, at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. He was 63. Taylor, of Renton, was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, and was battling that and leukemia at the time of his death. He wrote about his illness many times in The Press. He married his wife, the former Pauline Namit, who he called his best friend, in 1976, and she was his main caregiver in his last years. He was very proud of his son, David, 34, a University of Washington graduate. Family meant everything to him. He also loved his dog Katie. Taylor was half Finnish and proud of his heritage. He was born Oct. 4, 1949, in Vancouver, Wash., to Hilda (Kopra) and Layton Taylor, and raised on a farm in Southwest Washington. He loved listening to music, especially jazz and big band music, and he had a keen interest in history, especially the Civil War, colonial times and the Old West. He also enjoyed fishing, genealogy, reading, writing, cooking, baseball card collecting and
baseball historical research. He loved to tell stories, often turning a short topic into a long one, and people loved to hear him tell them. He was a posiBob Taylor tive person, no matter the circumstances, and he remained upbeat despite his illnesses. Taylor’s career began in 1972, when he graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in history. He was hired by the weekly Bellingham Metropolitan and started that job the day of his graduation. He then went on to become sports editor at the Bellingham Herald for two years. He covered the World Series in 1974. He then worked in Colorado for seven months before returning to the Evergreen State. For almost 20 years, Taylor covered sports for the nowdefunct Journal-American, later called the Eastside Journal, a daily newspaper that was based in Bellevue. Although he worked See TAYLOR, Page A5
Fire damages highlands home Firefighters responded to a house fire in the Issaquah Highlands just after 8 p.m. Dec. 27. Eastside Fire & Rescue reached the empty home in the 1600 block of Northeast 24th Street at 8:22 p.m., five minutes after the call reached 911 dispatchers. Firefighters could see smoke and flames from the street, and worked to extinguish the fire in a second-floor bedroom and protect nearby residences. Overall, eight units responded
Quotable “We like to think outside the box and push the heck out of the envelope, so with the help of one of our customers, we created a nonseasonal soda that was designed to last all through the holidays, called turkey and gravy soda.”
— Eric Chastain Jones Soda vice president of operations (See story on Page B4.)
to the scene in the highlands neighborhood, and firefighters had the blaze under control by 8:43 p.m. Firefighters estimated the damage at $30,000 overall — $20,000 for the structure and $10,000 for the contents damaged in the blaze. The fire did not cause any injuries. Firefighters called a King County Fire Marshal’s Office investigator to the scene. The agency is investigating the cause of the blaze.
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