REPORTER
Mercer Island
Wednesday, June 19, 2013 | 75¢
Serving the Mercer Island community since 1947
Art borne by wings
Kerie can’t wait
Reporter moves to new location The Mercer Island Reporter has moved to its new office location this week. The Reporter office is now located at 3047 78th Ave. S.E. The telephone number, 232-1215, remains the same.
MIHS annual literary magazine, ‘Pegasus,’ is a fusion of color, mood and emerging talent
Eastside Town Hall on transportation tonight, June 19
By Reporter Staff
Eastside leaders and planners will hold a discussion about the future of transportation networks in King County at an open house and meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. tonight, June 19, at Bellevue City Hall at 450 110th Ave. N.E. For more, see story on page 4 or go to www.ci.bellevue.wa.us.
Community meeting on Islander Middle School expansion The Mercer Island School District will hold a community listening session to gather input on an expansion of Islander Middle School. The meeting is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, in the Islander Middle School multipurpose room. For details, go to www.mercerislandschools.org.
Bargain book bash June 20-23 at the library A bargain book sale will be held at the Mercer Island Library tomorrow through Sunday. The Mercer Island Friends of the Library are selling hardback fiction books for 50 cents each with mass market paperbacks at just a quarter apiece. All proceeds collected by the Friends go to the library. For more, go to www.kcls.org.
Rebecca Mar/Staff Photo
Lost dog Kerie was found months later through the efforts of her owner, Claudia Ebling. Hampering her efforts was the fact that Kerie’s microchip information was incorrect. To read their story, go to page 10.
Changes inside, not outside at library Renovations to be paid by bond approved in 2004, will move to temp space By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
Saying that the existing Mercer Island library works well, King County Library System (KCLS) planners told about 50 Islanders last Thursday night that the remodeling set for the library this fall will make it even better. KCLS staff told attendees first that the improvements would not include increasing the size of the library’s ‘footprint.’ All of the changes will happen inside the building. Offering suggestions on everything from enlarging bathrooms
for diaper changing to speeding up Internet connections, Islanders were cautiously optimistic that their beloved library will retain its inviting feel. KCLS officials and an architect from Miller Hull Partnership came to show Islanders their preliminary plans for the library and to listen carefully to what patrons had to say. The renovation is funded by a portion of the $172 million bond issue passed by King County voters in 2003. Bond proceeds are being used to modernize and expand the existing county library system across the board. KCLS, listed as the busiest in the nation in 2010, has completed work in 30 libraries in the county so far: 11 new libraries have opened, 10 libraries have been expanded and seven libraries have been renovated.
Early Music in the Courtyard Friday, June 21, 7:30PM Featuring “Masters of the German Baroque” performed by The Obbligato Players Cecilia Archuleta, baroque violin • Charles Coldwell, recorders • Jieun Newland, continuo organ
According to KCLS project manager Greg Smith, $1.6 million has been set aside for changes to the Island library that sits across the street from Rotary Park. The project will include reconfiguring the interior layout as well as replacing or refurbishing the space with carpet, paint, furniture, shelving and adding quiet study areas. Ruth Baleiko of Miller Hull said that with the help of library staff and the community, they have identified three major goals for the project. The first is to reconfigure the space to make it flow better and to optimize the existing space and outdoor views and natural light, she explained. Part of that goal will be to open up the meeting room, which now must be locked when it is not in use. Next, planners want to improve the acoustics throughout the library to ensure that patrons can find quiet spaces even if other activities are taking place. Finally, planners and designers will upgrade and
The dreamy artwork that is the cover of the 2012-2103 Mercer Island High School’s annual literary magazine is a view from an imaginary gondola on a lazy afternoon in Venice. The bottle-green water reflects the golden hues of late afternoon onto the ancient stone walls of the floating city. It is a place of peace. The cover, by Islander student Jacqueline Ong, is a million miles away from the cares of the present day; the classroom, the homework, and the complex pressures of high school. Ong’s work illustrates the depth of imagination and skill of Islander artists along with student editors and staff who produced the book.
ART | Page 10
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MI | THIS WEEK
Green Edition
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Library | Page 2 Mercer Island Presbyterian Church Suggested Donation - Adult: $16.85 Senior & student: $10 Children under eight: free
3605 84th Ave SE, Mercer Island www.MIPC.org 206-232-5595