Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
Friday, June 15, 2012
www.issaquahreporter.com
Moving on? Consultant recommends Sammamish drop out of EF&R BY KEVIN ENDEJAN KENDEJAN@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
Issaquah natives Nick and Bianca Bononcini, both hydroplane drivers, competed June 9 at Tastin’ n Racin’.
NAT LEVY, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter
NEED FOR SPEED
Issaquah’s popular Tastin’ n Racin’ festival is a family affair for many drivers BY NAT LEVY NLEVY@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
T
alk about sibling rivalry. Most brothers and sisters battle over toys and chores. Nick and Bianca Bononcini’s biggest competition comes on the water, at more than 100 mph.
SEE EF&R, 13
Greg Hopp narrowly aces out father Jerry Hopp for victory during the final heat of hydroplane races on June 9. NAT LEVY, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter usually wins most of the races. She’s even competed professionally at Seafair and other events. For Nick, it’s still an amateur passion. But he still enjoys the occasion to take down his sister. The Bononcinis were one of many families whose lives revolve around races at the festivities. In its 16th year, Tastin’ Racin’ has done a lot to bring hydroplanes back into prominence in the area. Decades ago, the races at Seafair were among the two or three biggest sporting events of the year. Jon Cortright, one of the founders of
the event, grew up around the sport. When he was racing in the park in the past, in front of only a couple spectators planted in lawn SEE TASTIN’ N RACIN’, 13
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These two Issaquah natives grew up around hydroplanes. They’ve traveled around the country with their boats, sitting next to each other on the starting line and celebrating at the finish. This weekend, they were on the home turf at Lake Sammamish State Park for Tastin’ n Racin’, one of the Eastside’s favorite festivals, and for many, the kickoff to the boat racing season. Last weekend’s festivities were a part of the brother and sister’s fifth year as racers. They love to compete against each other, almost as much as they like to cheer each other on. “There’s no one I want to beat more, and no one I want to win more when I can’t than him,” Bianca said. Nick and Bianca agreed that Bianca
Change could soon be on the way for Sammamish’s fire services. Redmond-based consultants FCS Group recommended June 5 to the City Council that Sammamish withdraw from its partnership with Eastside Fire & Rescue and simply contract with the organization for services. Prompted by a 20 percent cost increase for services over the last five years, the city of Sammamish contracted FCS to review the city’s partnership with EF&R. “We hired FCS to do the study because we owe our taxpayers that kind of due diligence,” City Manager Ben Yazici said. “Fire service is our biggest expense, comprising 24 percent of our annual operating budget.” The study determined Sammamish’s annual contribution to EF&R has grown from $4.9 million in 2007 to $5.9 million
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