REPORTER
Mercer Island
Wednesday, Wednesday,August March 28, 20, 2013 | 75¢
Serving the Mercer Island community since 1947
41st Dems pick Senn for Rep.
At the summit
It’s back to school on Mercer Island Mercer Island schools will be back in session beginning next week. School events will affect parking around the high school. Learn more online about the changes at www.mercerislandschools.org.
King County Council to have final say on new 41st state representative
School district ‘listening session’ is tonight The Mercer Island School District will host a listening session tonight, Aug. 28, at the North Mercer Gym to discuss elementary school No. 4 and the high school expansion. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Timebanking workshop tonight There will be a timebanking workshop beginning at 6 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center tonight, Aug. 28. The community is invited to attend to learn about timebanking and how to get involved.
Thrift store open house today, Aug. 28 at 3 p.m. The Mercer Island Thrift Shop will host an open house this afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. at the store. The city is looking to gather input from Islanders and shoppers about a possible expansion of the store. See more information on page 6. Anyone with questions can contact MIYFS Director Cindy Goodwin at cindy.goodwin@ mercergov.org.
By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
Contributed Photo
Six Mercer Island residents, including Jake Stenberg, Steve Stenberg, Charlie Peterson, Sam Peterson, Arthur McCray and David McCray, climbed Mt. Baker earlier in August. See more on page 14.
YTN gets qualified OK for recycle site Youth Theatre Northwest must work out design, address site issues and raise money Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
In the next few years, Youth Theater Northwest (YTN) expects to lose its present space that it leases from the Mercer Island School District near the high school stadium, on S.E. 40th Street. Along with supporters, YTN has approached the City of Mercer Island regarding its possible use of land in the Town Center for a new performing arts facility for their organization.
YTN says that a theater in the Town Center would benefit Island restaurants and Island businesses by people coming to attend performances. They suggest that many types of entertainment would be offered at the site, bringing people on foot who live in the apartments nearby. They point out that performances and rehearsals occur in the afternoons and evenings, and that parking along city streets can accommodate increases in traffic The Council has discussed the possibility of siting such a facility at either the Mercer Island Community and Event Center or the old recycling center land and the Bicentennial Park space. At a planning session held in June, the Council came up with six alternatives with various combina-
HAVE YOU SEEN BOB? Bob Toomey, C.F.A., 25 years of experience in Financial Planning & Investments and contributor to the Mercer Island Reporter
tions of location, ownership and control options. The Council discussed the projects on the merits of what was appropriate for each site, whether it be size, parking availability and marketing concerns. But most agreed that for a theater, the Town Center site would be ideal for its proximity to complementary activities such as restaurants and the number of people who live nearby. Council members Jane Brahm and Tana Senn were appointed to explore each of these six proposals and choose one. They were to evaluate each within a set of criteria that included parking, traffic and access, land use and environmental impact, safety and financial viability. YTN hopes that the new facility could be located in the old recycling center space. As YTN would need to raise private money for the project. A space visible in the Town Center would make it more appealing to
Mercer Island City Councilmember Tana Senn was selected by the 41st Democrats on Wednesday, Aug. 21, along with two others, to be the nominees to replace former Washington state Rep. Marcie Maxwell. Maxwell resigned in July to take a position as a senior education advisor to Governor Jay Inslee. The King County Council will make the final decision as to who will represent the 41st District with a vote sometime early next month. Senn received 49 out of the 82 votes cast by 41st Precinct Committee members. The runners-up were Islander
SENN | Page 2
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MI | THIS WEEK
Green Edition
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YTN | Page 2
(206) 275-2700 Bob is at the drive-thru Starbucks every Friday from 9:30 – 10:30 am. Come by for a cup of coffee!