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Mercer Island
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Itidarod race is the topic at Historical Society meeting The Mercer Island Historical Society will meet at 1 p.m., Monday, March 17, at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center. Ardith Butler, a volunteer for the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, will speak about the history of the famous race and relate the behind-the-scenes activities and people that keep the race going every year. This year’s race will have just concluded. For information, contact Tove´Lund 232-9442.
Deputy Mayor appoints Islanders to work with KCLS on library redesign By Celina Kareiva
ckareiva@mi-reporter.com
Cercle Francophone is March 18 Cercle Francophone, an informal French conversation evening, sponsored by the Mercer Island Sister City Association is for anybody who wants to improve his/her French and is between 7 and 9 p.m., March 18 at the home of Beth Brennen. The only “rule” is that those who attend speak French. All levels of French are welcome. For more information and driving directions, contact Beth Brennen 232-7650 or Monica Howell 232-2983.
Magical Strings to perform at MIPC St. Patrick’s Day is Monday, March 17. Set the mood with traditional Irish music. The duo, Philip and Pam Boulding, who are ‘Magical Strings,’ will perform lively and traditional music on the Celtic harp, hammered dulcimer and other stringed instruments at 7:30 p.m., Friday , March 14, at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. No tickets required. Donations of $10 or more, are suggested.
life Have the ! you want
Joseph Livarchik /Staff Photo
KMIH-FM’s Luke Mounger, left, and Brady Baker call the Mercer Island girls basketball 3A state tournament game against Wilson High School, March 6 at the Tacoma Dome. Throughout the entire 2013-2014 season, KMIH-FM, the Mercer Island High School radio station, has sent its student radio team to broadcast both boys and girls basketball home and away games on Hot Jamz Radio FM stations 88.9 and 94.5.
A green theme for Island classrooms New elementary school to include composting toilets, rain water harvesting system By Joseph Livarchik
jlivarchik@mi-reporter.com
The Mercer Island School District and the City of Mercer Island began its first of three public information open-house events Thursday, March 6. Architects from Mahlum and Integrus Architecture were on hand to present near-complete site designs for the fourth elementary school, the Islander Middle School extension and the
extension for Mercer Island High School. Representing the city was its development services group, offering Islanders an opportunity to review the proposed zoning changes around the school properties. School Board members were also in attendance. Ross Freeman, sustainability and communications manager for the city of Mercer Island, said co-sponsoring the event with the school district was the most effective way to present its information to the public. “The intent is to make sure the public is aware of what the city has in mind regarding zoning changes around school properties,” Freeman said. “It’s a little complicated, and we’re trying to
make sure the public has a chance to understand.” Along with the layout of the new buildings, there was information detailing the sustainability ideas previously discussed but not charted for the projects. Many of those ideas were included in the preliminary designs. The elementary school will have on-site gardens, geothermal wells, rain water collection and will feature a green roof, grey water plumbing system, demonstration composting toilets and a rain water harvesting system. The middle school will feature expanded stormwater management and daylighting, with skylights at the gyms tied to lighting controls. Construction at the high school will include rain water harvesting, a cistern and a grey-water plumbing system. Just a handful of people came to the first meeting. More people were expected at two night meetings held after Reporter deadline.
Certified Financial Planners
The Mercer Island City Council has appointed an ad hoc library committee to work with King County Library System (KCLS) staff on a revised plan that better aligns with community needs. Library users raised concerns at a January meeting, claiming that staff hadn’t translated their feedback into final design. KCLS agreed to open the design process at a board meeting in late January. Earlier this month, the committee identified three main
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