REPORTER
Mercer Island www.mi-reporter.com
MI | THIS WEEK
Serving the Mercer Island community since 1947
City, schools meet to discuss future
Islanders in playoffs
MI Chamber lunch is Thursday The Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon for November begins at noon tomorrow, Nov. 3, at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center (formerly the CCMV). Mercer Island School District Gary Plano is the speaker. To RSVP and for ticket information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 232-3404.
School district, city officials mull keeping pool, sharing bus facilities, new schools By Linda Ball
It is that time of year to think about snow and shopping. The annual Islander Middle School Ski Swap is set for this Saturday, Nov. 5, from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the school. For information and forms, go to www.misd. k12.wa.us/schools/ims/imspta/skiswap/2011-SkiSwap. pdf.
“The fact that 650 students are in portables will resonate with voters.”
Blood drive at MIHS Friday
SR-520 to close this weekend Yet another closure of the SR-520 bridge is set for this weekend, Nov. 5 through Nov. 7. The bridge will close after the UW Husky football game and reopen by 5 a.m., Monday.
future partnership of the two body’s transportation fleets. The Mercer Island School The school district’s 21st District wants to keep the Century Facilities Committee Mary Wayte Pool afloat for has recommended moving another 10-15 years, as long the buses off the present as the city continues to pro- site next to the stadium. As vide financial help for the part of the plan, the board is 40-year-old pool. The pool looking at options to move is just one of the issues that their fleet to a location near face the schools and city as City Hall and perhaps sharing space they address and mainthe need to tenance replace aging services facilities and with the infrastructure city. The on the Island. school disPledging to trict wantwork togethed assurer, the City Jane Meyer Brahm ance from Council and City Councilmember the city that the School such an Board met at a arrangement is possible. joint meeting Oct. 27. The city has an equipment Olympic Aquatics, which operates the pool, is inter- bay that services most of the ested in extending their conFUTURE | PAGE 2 tract. But some major investment into the pool is still necessary; a new heater for the pool is needed and the pool needs to be resurfaced, said MISD superintendent Gary Plano. The restrooms have already had a facelift to include ADA accessibility. The two bodies agreed in concept to extend the interlocal agreement between the two to keep the pool open and operating, and agreed to begin work on a new interlocal agreement in the first quarter of 2012. The current The MIHS volleyball, two-year agreement, which swimming and cross was entered into in January, country teams continue would need to be extended. in the playoffs. See Sports The agreement also has an on page 16 for details. escape clause for either party to end the agreement, which needs specificity. The School Board also wants to move forward on a lball@mi-reporter.com
Islander Ski Swap
The Senior Service Club of Mercer Island High School is holding a blood drive at the high school between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. (closed between 10:30 and 11:15 a.m.) on Friday, Nov. 4. Blood drive organizers are hoping that community members and students are up for the challenge. Students under 18 must bring permission forms signed by their parents. For more information, call 1-800-3987888.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 , 2011 | 75¢
Leslie Magid Higgins/Contributed photo
The Mercer Island High School football team walks in through the stands during the last home game on Oct. 21, against Sammamish. The Islanders will take on Ferndale, Friday, in Islander Stadium in the first round of the playoffs.
Playoffs next stop for Islanders Islanders smash Kangs 52-7 to gain first round berth By Megan Managan mmanagan@mi-reporter.com
Mercer Island secured a last win of the regular season, beating Lake Washington
52-7 on Friday, Oct. 28. With the win the Islanders solidified their finish as the No. 2 team in KingCo and move forward in next week’s first round of the playoffs. For the first time in program history, the Islanders will host the first playoff game, this Friday against Ferndale. Ferndale is the No. 1 seed out of the
PENG & WEBER
Northwest Conference in Whatcom County. The Eagles are 5-4 overall and 2-0 in league games. The last time the Islanders won a playoff game was in 1988, against Puyallup, when current head coach Brett Ogata was the leading receiver for the Islanders.
FOOTBALL | PAGE 16
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