Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
Friday, September 12, 2014
www.issaquahreporter.com
121 new homes in Sammamish subdivision Hearing BY BRYAN TRUDE ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Crews work on grading in the new Kampp subdivision. BRYAN TRUDE, Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter
A trove of green along 228th Avenue Southeast in Sammamish has disappeared as contractors prepare to build the city's newest housing subdivision. Crews are grading and preparing streets and infrastructure for the Kampp subdivision, located near the intersection of 228th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 18th Street, said Sammamish Senior Planner Evan Maxim. When completed, the subdivision will feature 121 5,000-to-6,000 square-foot plots on 30
acres, he said. Since construction began, Sammamish city officials had received a few concerned callers regarding the removal of so many trees, along with an old barn that was demolished. In a statement to the Reporter, officials are working to ensure that all regulations are followed with all new developments. "Since the economy's picked up, we've started to hear more expressions of concern about clearing and building in Sammamish," Tim Larson, Sammamish communications director, said. "We've responded by letting people SEE KAMPP, 2
A voice for the Hispanic community BY DANIEL NASH ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Two Issaquah women have launched a new Spanish language magazine to keep Hispanic families in touch with news in the local community. Voz de la Comunidad — which translates to “Voice of the Community” — will be published on a bimonthly basis and feature news about the Issaquah School District and community organizations, as well as tips for healthful eating and green living. Margarita Leas and Marisol Visser distributed the first issue of Voz to schools and community hubs by hand Monday morning. Leas, originally from Colombia, and Visser, from Mexico, are both parents of children enrolled in Issaquah Valley Elementary School, one of the district campuses with the highest percentage of Hispanic students. Districtwide, Hispanics made up more than 21 percent of students in Issaquah schools in October 2013, according to demographic reports from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Leas and Visser said they worried that a significant number of these students' parents were being isolated from important information — by virtue of not speaking English natively or by coming from a culture with less parent involvement in schools. Working as volunteers in Issaquah Valley, they noticed how many parents needed translation assistance. “When we volunteered, we
coming for Costco expansion BY DANIEL NASH ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Should Costco be allowed to expand its corporate headquarters? That’s the question that will soon be posed to Issaquah’s citizens. The city of Issaquah has scheduled a public hearing during its Monday City Council meeting on a potential agreement with the warehouse wholesaler to expand its Central Issaquah headquarters in exchange for partnership on future city street improvements. The final agenda for the meeting was approved Friday, after press time. The hearing is anticipated to be continued to a second date, spokesperson Autumn Monahan said. Costco has occupied 700,000 square feet of Pickering Place since 1994. It was permitted under the limitations of the 1987 SEE COSTCO, 2
Klahanie taxes will fall under Sammamish annexation BY BRYAN TRUDE
Margarita Leas and Marisol Visser hold the first issue of Voz de la Comunidad. DANIEL NASH, Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter heard one instance of a mother who couldn’t go to her son’s graduation because she didn’t know about it,” Visser said. “There are people in our community who don’t feel like they’re part of the community because of this barrier,” Leas said. In March, they began formulating a plan for a publication that would translate important district news into Spanish
and provide original Spanishlanguage content on community programs and people. After hearing the pitch, the Issaquah Schools Foundation provided funding for the printing and editing of the magazine. Within its 16 pages, the first issue of Voz provided an overview of six Issaquah schools, the local county library, a guide to recycling and the details of community events like Salmon
ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Days and ArtWalk. Additionally, Visser, a health coach professionally, included an article on healthy eating, while the author Nora Giron-Dolce contributed a short children’s story about Hispanic siblings adjusting to a new environment. The final page is dedicated to an interview with Issaquah Valley reading assistant Sandra C. Floyd, a woman Visser
The City of Sammamish opened its doors Wednesday night to residents wanting to know more about the proposed annexation of Klahanie. City officials held the second of three planned open house sessions Sept. 10 at Faith Church in Klahanie. “We want to make sure the citizens of Klahanie are well informed,” Sammamish City Manager Ben Yazici said. “We are
SEE VOZ, 3
SEE KLAHANIE, 6